The demand for the 2022 GMC Hummer EV appears to be as substantial as the vehicle itself. The manufacturer is struggling to keep pace and had previously stopped accepting orders for both the SUV and truck iterations of the electric vehicle for the upcoming year. Even if you have already placed a reservation, it may be a significant wait until you receive your Hummer—think years, not mere months—due to the fact that it’s entirely sold out.
GMC’s global vice president Duncan Aldred disclosed the current status of the truck while discussing the Sierra EV pickup, as reported by GM Authority. According to him, both the truck and SUV variants are completely spoken for “for two years or more.” It’s important to note that the Hummer SUV hasn’t even entered production yet.
The “or more” aspect of Aldred’s statement might indicate the challenges that GMC has encountered in manufacturing the vehicles. Initially, the issue was a shortage of battery cells. While this problem has been partially resolved with the addition of a new cell facility in Ohio, GM has ambitious domestic battery production plans for the 2020s that are just beginning to unfold. Presently, there are several issues with the truck, some related to safety and others not. Resolving these issues is causing delays. However, that’s not the only obstacle.
GMC
To further complicate matters, GM’s Factory Zero, where the Hummer EV is manufactured, will be temporarily closed in November for upgrades to accommodate the production of the new Silverado EV. During this period of closure, no vehicles will be produced.
The rate of Hummer EV production has been increasing in recent months. In September, GM managed to produce 700 Hummer EVs—as noted by GM Authority, this represents roughly a third of all units produced to date—significantly higher than the rate of around a dozen vehicles per day back in the summer. It’s worth mentioning that GMC began assembling these vehicles nearly a year ago in December 2021. While the production rate is increasing every month, the November shutdown will result in hundreds of vehicles being pushed further behind in the queue.
There’s some speculation that this situation could be prompting GMC to contemplate a smaller Hummer EV model. The substantial quantity of cells required to manufacture not just the Hummer EV but also the Chevy Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV pickups may be too much to sustain the demand for the Hummer. A smaller Hummer with half the cells could potentially attract more customers. GM now boasts an extensive electric components inventory. Should these rumors materialize, you can expect to hear about it first here.
Would you like to share a tip or question with the author? Reach out directly at: peter@thedrive.com
