The GMC Hummer EV chills out, begins strenuous winter testing

GMC on Tuesday announced that its highly anticipated EV pickup is taking an important step closer to becoming a sellable product. The high-end, all-electric rig is now undergoing winter testing at GM's proving ground in Milford, Michigan.

Duncan Aldred, global vice president of the GMC brand, noted during a conference call that the development time of the new Hummer EV has been reduced by around 50% compared to other vehicles. This dramatic acceleration has been enabled by implementing new techniques, like virtual design and engineering, things that will be employed on future GM vehicles.

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Aside from the grueling work being done at Milford, the new Hummer will also eventually be sent further north in the Great Lakes State, to endure even more strenuous cold-weather validation. This low-temperature testing is an important part of vehicle development. Cars and trucks have to survive every kind of condition nature throws at them, to withstand the baking heat of Death Valley, keep passengers comfortable and dry in monsoon rains and start every time in a bone-chilling Alaskan winter. Cold-weather testing is particularly important for all-electric vehicles like this Hummer truck. Driving range can be significantly reduced in low temperatures.

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The new Hummer EV has been a hugely influential product for the automaker. According to the brand, it's had the best social-media performance in GMC history, is the most watched automotive reveal ever, racking up more than 370 million views and it's generated in excess of 1.3 billion impressions. The Edition 1 model even sold out in just 10 minutes, but that statistic is pretty much meaningless since GMC will not disclose how many units were actually available. Aldred said, however, that demand is "really high."

While enduring cold-weather testing, the new GMC Hummer EV moves closer to mass production. This highly capable, all-electric pickup is slated to go on sale in the fall of 2021, and as its development progresses, GMC will continue to share updates, so stay tuned. 

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