The GMC Hummer EV Pickup launched an all-new, all-electric chapter for the iconic off-roader nameplate in conjunction with the 2022 model year, bringing with it a variety of cutting-edge technology features and trail-ready specs. Interestingly, the Hummer EV Pickup doesn’t offer GMC’s carbon fiber bed, a popular option available for the GMC Sierra 1500. Now, GM Authority is reporting the reason why.
CarbonPro bed in the GMC Sierra 1500
For those readers who may not remember, GMC’s innovative carbon-fiber-reinforced pickup box, labeled as CarbonPro, was all the rage when it launched with the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. No surprise, as CarbonPro offers a number of benefits over your typical aluminum bed, including greater strength and greater resistance to dents and dings.
The carbon fiber bed also eliminates the need for rear wheelhouse liners, as well as the need for a spray-in bed liner, as GM Authority covered previously. As an added bonus, the CarbonPro bed offers a not-insubstantial weight savings, and, as a result, provides the vehicle with an uptick in payload rating.
So then, with all those benefits, one would think that the CarbonPro bed would be a perfect fit for the GMC Hummer EV Pickup, and yet, the all-electric rig doesn’t offer a carbon bed.
According to the lead development engineer for the GMC Hummer EV program, Aaron Pfau, the reason why gets down to the Hummer EV’s underlying structure.
“The GMC Sierra [CarbonPro] bed, that’s a separate bolt-on system, whereas the Hummer EV Pickup is body-frame integrated,” Pfau explained to GM Authority Executive Editor Alex Luft in an interview last year.
Indeed, the GM BT1 architecture, which underpins the GMC Hummer EV (as well as the GMC Sierra EV, Chevy Silverado EV, and Cadillac Escalade IQ) is not entirely body-frame integral, nor is it body-on-frame, either. Rather, the BT1 platform is actually something a bit in between, with the underlying GM Ultium battery pack serving as the “platform” for the vehicle body, a design which GM refers to internally as Ultibody.
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Comments
I believe the term is “space frame”
Also, why not? You still have a bed? The hummer EV really needs to shave a few pounds! Obviously it’s a cost saving choice for GM’s biggest money hole.
So they can’t use the bolt on carbon fiber bed they have on the 1500? They say its because the EV Hummer’s bed doesn’t bolt on like the 1500? Ok so then make the bed in carbon fiber then bolt it to the other connecting components. The bed on the EV Hummer somehow “connects” to the “frame” of the EV Hummer if it doesn’t bolt to it how does stay in place? Does it bolt, weld, or snap into place connecting it to other components? If so then connect the carbon fiber bed just like they connect the metal bed in the EV Hummer. This is a cost reduction move when it could be a weight reducing move which with a 10K ibs tank, I mean truck it SURE could lose some weight. I guess only charging $120K for it they don’t enough profits
If you read the report carefully, then you see that Aaron Pfau said that the Ultibody was different than the frame that is the basis of the 1500. Nowhere does he explain or even address how this difference makes the Ultibody incompatible with the CarbonPro bed.
The Hummer EV. Wow, I already forgot about this thing.
When does it get canceled?
They effectively exist only in ads and websites. GM can’t make them in any volume and the GM hype train has moved onto some other future Cadillac EV you cannot buy for 1-2 years. Another Ultium failure.
Imagine investing billions into a 100% dedicated EV platform only for it to be the heaviest beast in the market. Reminds me of the GM10/W body products. They cost GM billions and were uncompetitive until they got a refresh in 6 years, but the market had moved onto other brands. Utlium is a failure so far, but maybe GM will wake up and turn it around. Highly unlikely in my book.
The fact that they decided to hold off on setting up the factories for building these seems to indicate that they at least finally started doing the math.
I can only assume they were counting on a breakthrough (or laws) that would allow their EVs to become competitive with ICE vehicles, and probably didn’t actually plan to try selling $80k work trucks originally.
I haven’t seen an article about production numbers in awhile. Still waiting for the one i ordered.