At the recent GM EV day, General Motors unveiled a slew of new info and details on its forthcoming all-electric vehicle efforts, including its new Ultium battery tech and the new BEV3 EV architecture. The deluge of new EV products presents a big opportunity for the automaker, essentially allowing The General to “reset” in a variety of different areas.
GM President Mark Reuss addressed the opportunity at the GM EV Day event, saying: “Our news EVs will enable us to reset brands, models, and channels.”
For now, many buyers neglect to consider GM’s various products based on issues concerning image and brand perception. Previously, we wrote that GM could do well with a new brand specifically for EVs, one which wouldn’t carry any of the history or buyer preconceptions typically associated with General Motors.
With over 110 years of history behind it, GM’s legacy is well-entrenched. But with the burgeoning all-electric vehicle segment, the automaker has a clear opportunity to create something entirely new for itself, while also resetting perceptions for its various brands, models, and channels.
To note, the “brands” Reuss refers to include Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, and Buick in the U.S., as well as the customer perception and reputation that those makes bring with them. Models would be specific automobiles underneath those brands, such as the Chevrolet Corvette, while channels would be customer-facing things like dealers.
One great example of the “reset” Reuss refers to would be the upcoming GMC Hummer EV. Not only will this all-electric pickup truck offer the brand-new BT1 GM EV platform and the latest Ultium battery tech, but it’ll also be a complete reversal from the gas-guzzling associations of the original Hummer line. At the same time, the range-topping GMC Hummer EV will dole out more than 1,000 horsepower and run to 60 mph in just three seconds, completely changing customer perceptions of Hummer, and by consequence, GMC as well.
Stay tuned, as we’ll have more GM EV news heading down the pipeline shortly. In the meantime, make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for ongoing GM news coverage.
Comments
This is true and can work but!
They need to execute this perfectly. No major issue and recalls. They need products that connect with the people. They need to overcome the areas where EV products have struggled.
GM is capable of doing this but it is up to them to do all that is needed to pull it off and not try to short cut the way out.
They need to get the charging times down. ranges of 300-400 are a must and finally they need to get the EV prices down to where they are competitive with ICE products.
Then they wrap each product in styling that is beyond the wild science fair project styling. People have moved on from the tech look for the sake of standing out.
All of this is reliant on the battery. Better ranges, charging times and cost are all in that one major unit. The rest is relatively easier to accomplish. We shall soon see how the new Battery GM has will pan out.
These cars will be more at first but they need to decline in price as we go. To win people over most average buyers will not pay more. And don’t toss out the cheaper to operate and maintain. People look at payments not maintenance cost.
One of the factors that can and will hurt this is the low cost of oil. Gas prices are low and could go lower with large supplies. GM can not really do much on this. It not only could hurt sales but investment into infrastructure for charging.
I am not an EV fan nor hater. I have enjoyed the vehicles I have drive on electric power but I am not a cult buyer that just has to have one either. My view is just the pragmatic look at the things in play and what it will take to win the common buyer.
The one thing we need to also remember is EV is not for everyone at this point. Lack of available charging, weather and locations people live prevent it from consideration. GM is not going to kill ICE production either. So we will still have a choice. the key is to make that choice harder to make and really get people to consider both and draw new buyers in.
If GM ever had a time where they needed a near flawless start to new technology it is now. Tesla and the others all have had issues and GM will still have some but the key will be to be near as they can to perfect on this to win the attention and trust of buyers to something they still don’t fully understand.
In the words of Gene Krantz of NASA Failure is Not an Option.
Like a NASA flight you need to operate at near perfection and if an issue comes up jump on it and move on fast.
I disagree. The demand that everything must be “perfect” is a ridiculous expectation. We have no idea how our society will change as EVs become commonplace. The most important thing is to start the migration and learn as we go. Remember when computers “had” to have CD drives or phones “had” to have removable batteries or… We adapt as we gain experience. I am very certain future generations will look back on the EVs of the 2020s and wonder what we were thinking. Right now, we only have Elon Musk’s vision of an electric car future. GM, VW, etc need to get more varieties of cars in or hands so that we can, collectively, determine what is really needed.
Bob as I stated they need to target perfect. Then if and when something happens they must react to it fast just as NASA did with the Apollo program.
While nothing is perfect it needs to be perceived as perfect or dealt with at the highest level.
GM could not with stand a large number of failed batteries or a good number of failed motors.
Tesla has had a good number of issues but the media tends to over look this. With GM they will focus on it and point out every flaw. How they approach this will be very important and if something does happen they will be under a microscope for how they react.
The SAE and market as a whole expect 2030 to be 1/3 each ICE, Hybrid and EV. The number GM tossed out around for around 2025 may fit this knowing they are not focused on the Hybrid 1/3.
Price is still what will regulate sales the most. Average People will not pay a lot more for an EV.
The other factor in play is how much will the EV fit the present life style. People will not want to sit at dealers for an hour or more to charge if they live in an Apartment or are on a trip.
No matter what EV products are coming and they will be a part of the market. They will not be the only type of transportation offered but they will be the fastest growing segment. Companies like GM that have the tech and the facilities to design, engineer and build them will gain an advantage by selling them.
My thoughts exactly on what you stated, Ford could currently be on the verge of having to file for bankruptcy in the foreseeable future, though this had gotten coverage, they won’t talk about this at such extremes in comparison to GM and I’m personally tired of seeing stuff like that play out.
Ford will not file. Majority is owned by the Ford family and they would swing a deal leveraging the trucks.
They really have the most basic EV plans as Rivian holds the cards with Ford only buying in to get technology.
To be onset the program GM uncovered this week is the most expansive program to date. They have been working on this for a while and it was encouraging they did not rush it to maket like past technology only to watch it fail.
Getting things right and cost right will be a game changer.
Being first in this is not the same as being first at Indy. Being profitable is what wins this race.
If this battery is everything they claim it will be class leading.
So I was watching a Q&A session last night from one of the reporters that attended GM’s event yesterday. While he wasn’t allowed to take any pictures, he said he could describe what he saw. His descriptions were a bit disappointing to me.
He said the Hummers were nice looking, the Lyriq was really nice with a beautiful 4-passenger interior but the Bolts were pretty much like what we’ve seen already. He said there were also a couple of generic looking Buicks that he didn’t remember much about. The Cadillac Celistiq was described as being this big, wide, white “station wagon looking thing” that “nobody is going to buy”. He also described a gigantic electric Escalade which, if I remember correctly, had a hood that was five feet tall and made him feel like a kid.
What I think we wanted to hear is words like amazing, stunning, original, beautiful, and there wasn’t any of that enthusiasm. While he called the Hummer nice looking, he said the interior was what you’d expect; a sort of utilitarian space typical of that class of vehicle. I was especially disappointed by his description of the Celistiq. I think all of Cadillac’s big concepts, the Sixteen, the Ciel, the Elmiraj, and the Escala have all been extraordinary designs. The same goes for the Cien sports car. I would imagine that Celistiq follows in that pattern but at least one journalist wasn’t impressed. In fact, when asked to describe the cars he saw, it took him a while to even remember the Celistiq was there.
Anyway, I post all that for what it’s worth. If Mark Ruess says these EVs give GM a chance to do a reset and emerge triumphant and in a leadership role again, I personally think design is going to be vital. The products absolutely have to be stunning to behold. GM needs people to fall in love with their cars again. In the days of Bill Mitchell, folks bought a GM car not because they needed it but because they loved it. So far, I haven’t been impressed by Mike Simcoe’s work but I’ll be my own judge once these EVs are revealed. I hope GM knows that as important as the technical part is, as important as it will be to lead in EV technology, unforgettable design is still crucial too.
P.S. One footnote to my comment. If Alex was there, I’d love to hear his impressions. As someone who starts off as more of a GM fan and understands and appreciates their history, his perspective I think might be more favorable and would carry more weight for me.
Someone reporter who you came across wasn’t impressed with any of the models. Pretty much fits with your typical attitude toward GM so you emphasize what they reported.
Motor Trend reports were entirely different, especially related to the Celestiq. Maybe try reading and reporting on all the positive comments reporters have and report back. Or are you glass half empty and will only emphasize the negative you can find and ignore any positive?
Hey GMC Fan,
Read my entire comment. I think I conveyed my skepticism. I said the following:
“I think all of Cadillac’s big concepts, the Sixteen, the Ciel, the Elmiraj, and the Escala have all been extraordinary designs. The same goes for the Cien sports car. I would imagine that Celistiq follows in that pattern but at least one journalist wasn’t impressed.”
“Anyway, I post all that for what it’s worth.”
“If Alex was there, I’d love to hear his impressions. As someone who starts off as more of a GM fan and understands and appreciates their history, his perspective I think might be more favorable and would carry more weight for me.”
Although I was, and remain, skeptical, I think there is still validity to my overarching point which is that GM needs to ‘wow’ folks with the design of these new EV products. I also said in my prior comment that “I’ll be my own judge once these EVs are revealed”. That’s true. I won’t accept some reporters opinion. I’ll decide for myself but at this point all we have to go on is the descriptions of others and when they’re not spilling out profuse praise, I consider that a sign that the designs didn’t make enough of an impression.
As I said though, I’d really love to see a write-up from Alex and hear his thoughts.
Ci2Eye,
I think I know the video you’re referencing. Was that the guy from the Electrek website? I would caution against giving that guy’s opinion much weight, if any at all. I saw it too, and I know who he is. He falls into the category of people who have some anti-GM sentiments for their EV history = nothing malicious or anything, just a bias against them because of things like the death of the EV1, all their gas-guzzling SUV’s since the EV1 was killed (including the old Hummers), etc. He’s a huge Tesla fan as well, and owner, full disclosure. He’s more of an electric guy than a true car guy, if that makes sense.
There were a couple of other articles from other journalists who saw these upcoming EV’s, and these were from career car people that I’ve read for a long time, and I know they’re objective and very good at what they do. They had several consistent and interesting takes, which I think are more credible than the guy at Electrek:
Hummer: The general consensus from was that the Hummers looked great. The design was unmistakably Hummer, which is great because hitting the design on reborn cars is usually a huge undertaking with lots of swings and misses. Upright windshield, large, squared-off fender flares, boxy styling, sweet front “grille,” meaty tires, etc. Both the truck and SUV are getting targa tops, which I was pleasantly surprised to hear. “Rugged” was the buzzword. Also, the interior was generally praised, some said it was similar to the Wrangler with much more tech (and big screens). Also, apparently there will be no leather, but maybe a leather imitation, because they want all interior components to be recyclable. Why? Who the hell knows. Take from that what you will.
Cadillac Celestiq: This is where the opinions really deviated from Electrek. From what I read, the car is stunning, and needs to be seen to be believed. Very dramatic, flowing shape, similar to an Audi A7 (and absolutely nothing like a “station wagon.”) Front supposedly looked like the Lyriq concept, which doesn’t surprise since they said the Celestiq was designed first. The interior wasn’t done, but I guess screens go from pillar to pillar. It was widely praised.
I could go on, but these were the two most important vehicles revealed where styling is a huge deal. There were stories from Motor Trend, Motor1, and I think Autoblog that contained most of this info, if you’re interested. I’d trust their opinions way more than a dedicated electric car site well known for being a Teslarati hot spot. But until we all see them ourselves, obviously, its all up in the air!
G8Burnout,
Yes, that was the video I saw. As of last night, it was the best info I could find and I knew the guy was a Tesla fan but he also kept talking about his Bolt and the new Bolts shown at the event. Based on that, I didn’t presume him to be anti-GM. Honestly though, I think if GM could ‘wow’ a Tesla fanboy, that would say a lot. The GM fans, except apparently me, are gonna love anything they do so they aren’t an accurate barometer of when GM is failing and when they’re getting it right. I say “apparently me” because some think I must not be a true GM fan because I bitch about them a bit too much. I only do that because I desperately want to see them and especially Cadillac win.
I’ve read a bit more today and while I saw praise of the Celestiq design, I still didn’t see a refrain that the Germans should be very worried. All of Cadillac’s recent concept cars have been excellent designs so I’m sure the Celestiq will be too but given that Reuss says this is Cadillac’s last chance, I’d feel better hearing nothing but profuse praise.
Ci2Eye,
Just to buttress my point on Electrek, check this link out. The article is pretty good honestly, but read the comments…that’ll tell you all you need to know about the perspectives catered to on that site.
https://electrek.co/2020/03/05/gms-new-electric-visual-design-strategy-make-evs-big-and-badass/
I wish Mark Reuss could read your comment, Ci2Eye! They better use this opportunity to give Buick the same attention that they give their other brands. A Buick should not be generic-looking. A report in USA Today stated, “There was also a Buick EV on display. It is not yet named. It will reflect the new ‘more sculpted’ face of Buick. It had a wide black grille with slanted headlights positioned above the grille area.” A different source said, “A pair of Buick utility vehicles were introduced, as well. One is an SUV, the other a crossover. Both wear the brand’s new face, which looks a bit like the front end of a new Ford Escape melded with the grille of a Toyota 86 sports car.” And a third report thought the Buick looked very Tesla-like. I guess people can see the same thing but characterize it quite differently. Finally, Reuss himself explained things this way: “The message here is the reinvention of Cadillac, the reinvention of Chevrolet, the reinvention of Buick. … This is a real transformation of the company.”
So Why have Volt type redesigned hybrids with tiny ICE charging battery driven drive wheels been completely shut out of the conversion period for EV’s and charging stations over the next ten years of your phase in plan ?
Electric? I don’t know if its the answer? The carbon footprint and recycling costs are horrible for them and the power grid is 12 years and 28 billion dollars away from being able to support total electrification. I just hope that a rush to capitalize on a trend doesn’t create tunnel vision that brushes better solutions to the sidelines.
Note that the Hummer truck and SUV will have lift off roofs over the front and rear passengers. I find that very interesting and progress over the last models we had.
I know, I was really surprised to hear that too. They’re really gunning big-time for the off-road market with the new Hummers. So glad there is going to be an SUV, it’ll probably sell more than the SUT. I’m also getting the feeling from what they’re saying that the Hummer will go further down-market than we realize. Could start as low as $50,000, maybe? SInce the Silverado EV is a long way off, this will be the lone GM EV truck offering for a while, so the single-motor version could be relatively “cheap.” The dual- and tri-motor variants will probably be more popular, though, and will definitely be considerably more expensive. We’ll have to wait and see.
They are not targeting the off road market. They are targeting female buyers.
Look at all the women buying and driving Wranglers today. They are all over but never off road. They all like to fold the top and many remove the doors.
If they can do a smaller cheaper version here……..
The EV models are not for the true off road types. But they are for the image people.
I do see a lot of females do this, can’t deny it, but I see more men doing it. The reason I respectfully disagree is because the Wrangler also carries with it the benefit of a short wheelbase – women like this because it makes it easier to maneuver. The Hummers will be longer, especially the SUT, so the sheer size of them will scare most women away. Men will buy these FAR more than women.
That being said, I agree that the Hummers will largely be “image” vehicles, but they always have been. Wranglers are too, honestly. Just like most Wrangler owners never go more offroad than a gravel driveway, most Hummers won’y go offroading much either. But they will have the capabilities to do more than most will ever use (rock-crawling and fording, especially), as long as you’re not looking to be out for days on the most extreme trails. But that doesn’t mean they’re trying to appeal to women…they’re trying to appeal to the 95% of people who buy capable vehicles for style and image more than actual utility, men and women both. They want to have the big tires, high seating position, removable doors and roof, etc., not necessarily the capability.
Well in my area the women are 80% 4 door. Especially if they have kids or friends. They are replacing Mustang Convertibles and dull CUV models for them.
Till the roof leaks and they tire of the wind noise etc Lol!
The Hummer should be more refined since it is more expensive and not contingent on a Jeep styling.
The real Jeep people are even mostly 4 doors now, I never thought they would sell now the short wheel base is in the minority.
Image plays a large part and in the Hummer more so. GM needs a RPO wheel option with large wheels and low profile tires. Why let West Coast Customs get all the money.
Here Lebron James got an H2 while in high school. He had it customized and many followed his lead in town, they never went off road. Many sports people bought Hummers.
Note I am in the Racing and performance aftermarket. We have found the Wrangler a major part of our business today much like the a Mustang was in the 80’s. Many never touch dirt and many do. It is an even split. But it is the older models taking the beatings.
what is the exact purpose of showing vehicles/prototypes to reporters but not allowing them to take pictures?
i’m sure investors would like to see them. if a select few members of the public are allowed to see this, then all members of the public should be able to.
what is gm trying to accomplish here?
is it a PR ploy to drum up excitement? if that is the case, i sure hope they have the goods to back up their talk.
It is an way companies have stirred interest with the public and with the stock investors.
It is nothing new and a real good way to build excitement over a year and a half.
It also shuts down the web from saying GM is doing nothing. That has been a new problem as we now have the web and a GM that leaks only what they want anymore.
well, if gm wants people to know what they are up to, show it.
don’t invite a select few to perform a kabuki dance for us to describe what they saw.
it is 2020. gm is like gypsy rose lee performing a fan dance and they expect that to keep us interested for a year and a half?
Sorry you were not invited.
This is a first act of a several act play. You present the product in stages and put attention on the details so people absorb all that is in play.
Right now the focus is on the battery and the drive motors. GM’s message is we have the most powerful battery and we will be able to lower the cost once Lordstown is in production.
If they just dropped everything then you would have to wait a year and a half for the product and many would have never noticed the new batteries.
Tesla starts on vehicles 2 to 5 years out showing bits and parts to draw attention and funding to get them into production often years late.
I feel GM felt it was time to silence the nay sayers who said GM was behind and show some of what is being worked on.
This is no different than a Christmas is for a kid. The anticipation and build up to the big day drives excitement that is over after 30 min of opening presents.
Just because you may not fall into this pattern most of the public does.
Think of this more as Foreplay not just wham bam.
with the exception of the c8, gm hasn’t had a wham bam moment for a loooooong time.
all i’m saying is if you are going to show something to people outside the company, show it to everyone.
as someone wrote earlier, i’m a little concerned that the people who did see it, weren’t exactly floored. nice and attractive is the lowest bar i expect them to clear.
GM is not out to hit home runs with every move. They want things like the Equinox that will sell in large numbers and make money. They want these models to retain customers.
Big splashes make headlines but they do not always add up to sales.
As for styling it is hard to judge as what you see is what they saw the silhouette. Like a car in Camao best to wait till the whole thing is seen. Keep in mind much of these are CUV models that have to be practical so there is not going to be a lot of radical changes here.
The Corvette has a much bigger box to play in and can be less practical and with the higher cost have more gimmicks to make it livable like the raising GPS suspension.
What GM did here is what they have done and most other automakers have done. What is being reported for the most is what they were told.
As for the styling they did see and tech they could not talk about some of that could easily change yet. The last time GM did this they actually listened to the media and made changes. They even went as far as putting some on retainer for feedback.
Sorry you did not get invited to the party, We all would like to see and know more too but the time is not right yet and like I stated there a number of moving parts to this that we have yet to know and will make sense later.
Also note too you can not telegraph everything now from a competitive point too.. They dropped a bomb shell with the new battery so you hold the cards on the product so the others still have no target to aim at till it is out.
It is difficult to keep an advantage in the media drive world but you still have to hold some cards or you will lose the hand.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
So 2 new EV Hummers ,truck and SUV (GMC) Hummers, will be available by next year.
But, Cadillac EV’s will take 4-5 years.
Am I missing something?
You’re wrong. GMC Hummer truck will be available end of next year, 2021. The SUV will follow sometime after that. The lyriq will be available in 2022, a couple years from now.
The release of the lyriq may depend on how the release of the GMC Hummer truck goes. Initial demand. Battery production. Keep in mind the new Lordstown battery facility won’t be ready till 2021.
This is really a pretty aggressive timeline to retool the EV facility, get battery production facility live and start production.
Not only change over to EV production but to build a new large plant in Ohio just for the batteries and finishing development of them.
A lot of moving parts.
I think you should have kept the Volt for a few more years. I do not like the idea of all battery and few charging stations.
Richard D: Especially since the UAW forced GM to keep Hamtramick open, where the Volt was assembled. Anyone who owned a Volt loves it and the Voltec technology that made it the best all-around electric vehicle. So, Mary, as part of your supposedly electric future why wouldn’t you keep producing a popular EV product in a factory supposedly intended for that market while you bring your new, supposedly great, products on line?
Why build a car you lose money on?
Maybe the VOLT would have been a major sales and money making success if they had introduced it in an SUV format rather than the two iterations of just mediocre sedan designs almost boring to the purchasing public compared to Tesla designs of the times !
The truth is the Volt was done to establish suppliers and a market segment to start building EV products.
It was successful in doing this as today there are a number of suppliers of electronics and batteries driving these new vehicles. With out the volt none of these companies would have entered the segment.
As for the Volt and Bolt sales success they were not money makers. That is why they were never sold in great volumes.
They did their job to lay the path to profitable vehicles. But making profits and high volumes were never expected.
C8.R: Interesting proposition you put forward, it would explain what to Volt owners seemed stupidity on GM’s part. But isn’t it old-fashioned wisdom that if you start out assuming failure (to make a profit) you surely will fail? It would explain GM’s utter failure to market the Volt in spite of the initial enthusiasm shown by the automotive press and the early adopters. After all, why spend money on marketing and manufacturing cost reduction if you “know” the product will never be profitable?
Given the obvious superiority of the Voltec technology in the real world compared to the other Hybrids and EVs, which unfortunately was only realized only by those who actually owned and drove one, it’s no wonder that so many Volt owners were frustrated by GM’s decision to abandon the car.
Well GM made it clear the Volt was to deal with range anxiety till better batteries arrived.
For GM it was much like seed to grow larger more profitable crops.
GM actually tried to break even but in the end there just was no money in the cars. But they did seed the suppliers with a reason for research, development and production of needed components they never would have made.
The Volt program was like going to the Moon. It was a non profit venture but the things we learned pushed American high tech development that help bring the web cell phones and much more.
Now if some owners are disappointed they miss understood that the volt was part of the journey not the destination. It was clear to most but for those who did not under stand will just have to move to the electric gut with the rest of us.
You can’t please everyone.
We just put in a new phone system and we have had a customer complain because we used a woman to do the prompts, She works for us and sings professionally so she did a really good job. He just hated here because she was female. Again the world moved on but you can’t please everyone.
C8.R: Again, interesting point of view, one problem with your logic however, we have yet to “get to the moon”. The issue of range anxiety is still not solved. Half hour recharges after 200 miles of driving is still not adequate, not to mention the huge infrastructure investment still required to provide even that. As others have pointed out, the Volt was to be a 95% EV solution until some miraculous technical breakthrough made long distance EV driving practical. You can suggest that Volt owners should have realized the “misunderstanding” that was being perpetrated on them; perhaps in the spirit of honest consumer disclosure GM should have had a disclaimer with each sale of a Volt? You would think a SJW like Mary would have thought of that.
#1 we got to the moon in steps. The Volt was Mercury.
#2 the moon is 300-400 mile range and this battery is stated to be there.
#3 charge times have yet to be announced but they are coming done.
The Volt covered range anxiety but it also developed and used many of the parts that led to the first electric car. Just as the Impact tech lead to the Volt. These are all building blocks to the goal.
The Volt was not making money. The Volt did its job and when sales were down it was time to pull the plug no pun intended.
Range anxiety is not what it once was. People have a better understanding and ranges are growing fast.
The Volt really became an expensive Cruze that few were buying.
GM made it clear how many years ago they were moving to a large effort in full electric.
This is more about tech not automotive industry and things will move and change fast.
If anyone missed GM’s strong and clear message that full electric cars was the goal then shame on them. I find few were fooled and if they were they need to pay better attention. It was not a hidden secret.
This is business and you are not going to make everyone happy. But you are still required to move forward for what is best for the company and stop selling cars that make no money and find a way to make cars that do make money.
Why not find a management team that, given a winning product, could figure out how to market, sell, and make money on it! I’m not sure being a SJW is an important qualification.
The entire segment thought you had to sell these models cheap to move anything. The Tesla S changed that thinking. It showed people would pay money for higher priced models that could make money, hence the Hummer coming first. These will make money and reduce cost for following models.
Once EV models are the same price as similar ICE more people will consider them.
In the past they tried large a Hybrid SUV models only to see them fail. They just never drove enough excitement for people to over pay for the same model as the Ice.
I believe they have it figured out. Now that they have this battery it should ease cost even faster. Range is also fixed. Now charging speed is next.
EV’s will eventually be predominant ,Not in northern states or Canada will they stand up to cold temperatures of 10-40 below For weeks like ICE vehicles !
ICE is planned till at least 2050 as EV is not for everyone.
The SAE said they expect the market to be 1/3 ICE, 1/3 EV, 1/3 hybrid by 2030. Even to me that is optimistic.
But they know more about coming advancements .
But for some EV will not cut it.
On the other hand the cold deal will be worked out. As batteries have more capacity and density that too will vanish.
This is going to be a bit like the digital TV change over. It will ponder for a while and then it will pick up as prices come down. Remember when large flat screens were $10,000 like the first one I saw in NYC in the 90’s. Today larger ones are $275.
Some of the delays are due to spending and the fact the battery cost will be coming down by the time Cadillac arrives. That will be key in pricing the models.
General Motors claims that through its joint venture with LG Chem, announced late last year, will drive their battery costs down to below $100 per kWh. In 2019, battery prices averaged $156 per kWh, a BloombergNEF (BNEF) analysis found, which was down from $1100 per kWh in 2010.
BNEF has estimated that it won’t be until 2024 that the average battery price falls below $100/kWh. If GM does reach that price before then, it would make their EVs much more affordable relative to others on the market. Nonetheless, the automaker didn’t divulge a timeline for when its venture with LG Chem would produce the batteries at that cost.
So while the Hummer will be expensive it can absorb the battery cost while the smaller SUV Cadillac would not. The lower cost of the battery will help keep the price closer to the XT5 and make it much more competitive vs trying to sell it at $75K.
You have to look deeper into these things to understand all the moving parts that have to come together. Also the spending for all these models has to be spread out as this is not cheap stuff that can all be done at once.
I’m just thankful that I don’t have to drive a sorry electric car/appliance.
The truth is there will be product for everyone gas or electric.
Just as long as it makes money and this program makes GM stronger is all that matters.
The truth is you should root for these. The better they do the more able GM will be able to do more fun cars that we petrol heads love.
Yup, well said C8.R. I’m a huge ICE fan, always have been, always will be, but I couldn’t help but be hyped for the new Hummers. I loved Hummers growing up in the 90’s and into the 00’s, always loved the brand, and having it come back, and with this much promise, has really made me more interested in electric cars. And I’m not the only one who feels this way, which is exactly what GM was shooting for.
What better vehicle to win more fans over to electric than a Hummer? And people, including basically all of my Hummer-owning friends, are actually really excited for the reveal.
I wonder how many folks here actually OWN an EV!!!! My guess is 1 or 2.
If you had two you would be lucky. Even if you had 5 that have ever driven one you would be lucky.
I am not a EV guy.. but I do not hate them ……. I may own one someday as they advance but for right now I am waiting for them to catch up with my expectations.
I want a vehicle that I can live with no matter the travel and that will not change the way I live. The big key for me at this point is get me a charge in the time it takes to fill a tank of gas. I expect they will reach that soon.
Styling like the Car and Driver Hummer drawings would draw me in styling wise too.
I have driven a number of the cars and I like how they drive. The styling on some and the lack of much on the interior was a turn off in some but those can be easily fixed.
The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Equinox was the one I really was impressed with but cost and refueling times and locations is still a major issue outside fleet sales.
There are a number of moving parts to this whole deal that many do not even consider but they are slowly coming together.
Even trivial things like noise. EV cars are quiet. There have been a number of pedestrian accidents due to this. They are working on some kind of outside noise. Inside noise is a real issue as there is no engine to mask road noise. They are using the noise cancellation to help. While similar to ICE in many ways it still presents challenges.
Forget filling your electron tank in the same time as pumping 20 gallons. Nearly everyone charges the tank overnight. You won’t see charging your battery in the same time as the 5 minutes it takes to pump 20 gallons. I know not in my lifetime.
You are behind in your pedestrian awareness. The Bolt has it. I can attest to that, firsthand. Outside noise is NOT an issue.
John: Exactly, this is why, for typical suburban driving with a single available vehicle, the Volt was, and in our opinion still is, the optimum solution. Not surprising since GM supposedly used OnStar data to set Volt design goals. With Level 2 at-home charging we average about 97% Electric driving in our normal city use but have the luxury of 5 minute gasoline fill ups on road trips and we still get around 58+ mpg overall including multiple road trips. I see no advantage to constantly hauling around a 200 mile battery as in the Bolt when on a typical day we drive less than 50 miles. And still, with the Bolt and other EV only vehicles, suffering range anxiety.
Does anyone know if GM will release a Link online to watch this presentation?
From what I’ve seen Momolos, not yet. Check in on the GM Media website every now and then, I was there last night but nothing was posted. Maybe this weekend?
Update: here’s a link to the presentation:
https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/cep23mxz