Reborn Hummer Could Be the First Electric Truck in the Market

The Hummer may be an old nameplate, but the upcoming GMC Hummer is still considered a rookie in the electric pickup truck segment. The highly awaited model is expected to arrive fall of 2021, around the same time as other electric trucks are expected to come.

But recently, General Motors President Mark Reuss claimed the new Hummer EV could be the first electric truck to be in the market.

Reuss’s statement is seen as a bold insinuation considering startup company Rivian’s R1T is well on its way to an official debut this year. Judging by his words, it’s either Reuss wasn’t aware of Rivian’s well-publicized timetable or he simply does not consider the startup a competitor.

Regardless, it’s going to be tough to gauge how GM will perform in the market given the automaker’s current state in terms of electrification. Although the company beat everyone when it released the EV1 in the 1990s, GM’s sole electrified product in the United States at the moment is the Bolt, which is a completely different vehicle from the Hummer.

In recent years, GM also steered clear of hybrid production in all its divisions, leading to the demise of the Chevrolet Volt and Cadillac ELR. Until news of the Hummer revival spread, GM also seemed uninterested in the rising trend in electrification.

GM’s sudden desire to release the new Hummer under the GMC brand as the first EV truck that people can buy speaks of how the Detroit Three plans to address competition in Tesla and its Cybertruck.

But where things currently stand, it’s going to be a race among automakers, especially if they want to pose a threat to Rivian’s R1T. Aside from Rivian and Tesla, Ford is also expected to introduce an all-electric F-150 next fall alongside a hand-built Bollinger, giving the GMC Hummer plenty of rivals way ahead of its release.