GMC’s highly anticipated Hummer EV will be revealed not in the flesh but on the Web.
As you’ve certainly noticed when visiting our site over the last few days, presenting new models online has become the new way of doing things for automakers. The reason for this is obvious, and a return to normality is not in the cards in the short term.
Normality, in the auto industry, is to invite media to a location chosen by the manufacturer to introduce its new product. Sometimes just for what’s called static presentation, but more often than not for a test drive as well, at the very least a sit-down. Given that for now, no one’s really keen on getting on a plane to attend such an event, it's all happening on screen.
And so, after virtual reveals of the Toyota Venza and Sienna, Nissan Rogue, Ford Mustang Mach 1 and Lexus IS, all 2021 models, one of the next in line for a safely distanced online presentation is the Hummer electric pickup truck that will be joining the GMC lineup.
The official presentation of the Hummer EV was to take place back on May 20. You’ll recall that during the last Super Bowl, a GM ad gave a very brief overview of the model and announced that date.
The good news for the manufacturer is that the pandemic and the slowdowns it forced did not affect development of the model. Which means that GMC still plans to unveil its model later this year and launch it on the market in 2021 as a 2022 model.
There’s no official date for the presentation of the model yet, but it’s very likely it will be a strictly online affair. GM (General Motors) CEO Mary Barra had this to say to Automotive News about the company’s plans for its upcoming models:
“They [the debuts] will largely be online. We’ll use both virtual and augmented reality technologies to help tell our story. I think we’ll be able to generate the excitement and share what these products are quite widely.”
- Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
This decision comes as no surprise given the current uncertain situation surrounding the coronavirus, especially in the United States. That also is probably why we still await an official date for the presentation electric Hummer; we have to think it’s more likely to happen in the fall than this summer.
Our fervent wish is for manufacturers, in lieu of major media launches, to plan local programs in certain Canadian cities so that these new models can be put to the test. We know of some companies already planning such events, so rest assured that we'll be flooding you with road tests in the coming months.