General Motors has so far confirmed that the all-electric GMC Hummer EV pickup will be sold in the U.S., Canada and the Middle East. However, new rumors suggest that it could also be sold in Australia.
The Hummer EV pickup is mentioned in a report by Australia’s whichcar. The article suggests that the truck may be converted locally to right-hand-drive by General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) – GM’s new operating arm in the market. The report cites un-named local sources who think the idea has “great potential”.
This follows on from a previous hint that the Hummer EV pickup might be sold in New Zealand, based on a trademark application for “GMC” with that country’s Intellectual Property Office, as first discovered by GM Authority. The basis for that suggestion is that, although GM could sell the Hummer EV pickup – built at the GM Detroit-Hamtramck plant, now called GM Factory Zero – in New Zealand, it will undoubtedly also do so in Australia.
It would once have been reasonable to expect that an imported and converted Hummer EV pickup would be sold in Oceania wearing a Holden badge, but that is no longer plausible. The General bought Holden, a former saddlery business that transitioned to building car bodies for other manufacturers, in 1926, and the first Holden-designed vehicle was launched in 1948. Local production continued until 2017, when GM transformed the division into a sales company and parts distribution operation for imported GM vehicles. In 2020, GM announced that it would mothball the Holden marque entirely.
The whichcar article also mentions several other GM vehicles due to go on sale in Australia with right-hand-drive, including the Chevrolet Corvette C8, the only GM car due to arrive in Australia (as well as Japan and the U.K.) directly from the GM Bowling Green factory in Kentucky in RHD form without the need for conversion. Only 200 units are expected to be brought in each year, and the price is believed to have risen from the originally planned AUS$129,990 (US$98,600) to AUS$149,990 (US$113,700).
Other models referred to in the article include the Chevy Camaro, Silverado and Tahoe, and the fifth-generation Cadillac Escalade, all of which require conversion to RHD by GMSV. Cadillac crossovers were also mentioned, but sedans are excluded, due to a sharp decline in demand for high-performance sedans in Australia, where they were once extremely popular.
Be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more GMC Hummer EV news, GMC news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Maybe someone could help me out with this. We keep seeing all these articles about how vehicles “could be” sold in Australia. Why is it such a difficult decision? Is it the right hand drive conversion? GM pretty much gave up on their home town brand with shutting down Holden, the least they could do is supply them with some fun vehicles and not double the price.
right hand conversion and limited market = gigantic price.
They shut down Holden because producing the vehicles in Aus was way to expensive….
GM could not compete with the flood of imports as soon as Aus reduced the vehicle import tariffs.
Appreciate the explanation!
The major issues are the cost and exchange rate.
Sending cars from North America is not cheap just in shipping as few cars they sell there. Keep in mind this market is smaller than California.
Now shipping a Hummer is not at much a challenge. #1 the electric drivetrain makes it easier to make a RHD. Also the higher price assures profits.
Most cars sold there are cheap imports from Malaysia from Mazda, Toyota and Hyundai. They are dumped at very low prices and have damaged the home market.
GM is eyeing doing a limited number of 200 Corvettes. They are checking on a Camaro again. Possibly some Cadillacs I suspect in the EV form.
All are high enough priced to make money on them.
Note I expect all EV models will be set for RHD and LHD for global markets. GM will target all markets with them. Especially Europe where regulations are forcing the issue.
I would not be surprised by intro the range of each model will make a jump.
GM has a history of keeping HP ratings conservative and I expect they will do the same here with EV range
They test and tune right up intro. Improvements are much easier to just program in.
Once road test come the media would crucify GM if they come up short of estimates but if they get more they will praise it.