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Thoughts on the 2022 GMC Hummer EV and the record-setting SSC Tuatara | Autoblog Podcast #650

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale. They lead the podcast with the week's two big news stories: the reveal of the 2022 GMC Hummer EV and the 316-mph production car speed record set by the SSC Tuatara. Afterward, the editors discuss some recently driven cars, the Lincoln Continental Coach Door Edition and the GMC Canyon AT4. Autoblog Podcast #650 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown News: 2022 GMC Hummer EV reveal SSC Tuatara production car speed record Cars we're driving2020 Lincoln Continental Coach Door Edition 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

GM to accelerate its EV strategy — Cadillac could be all-electric by 2025

General Motors will roll out details of an expanded and accelerated electric vehicle strategy on Thursday in an effort to convince investors it can be a serious competitor to Tesla, people familiar with the plans said. GM Chief Executive Mary Barra, who is scheduled to speak at a conference hosted by Barclays, is expected to say the automaker is ready to spend more on electric models by 2025 than the $20 billion previously outlined, the sources said. Supplier sources said previous plans to make the Cadillac brand all-electric by 2030 are being sped up, possibly to 2025, and other sources said that acceleration will be repeated in other brands and in segments such as commercial vans. Asked about the Thursday appearance, a GM spokeswoman called talk of increased spending speculative and declined to give details. The Detroit automaker is also expected to discuss a new timeline for many of the EVs to follow those already identified, such as the GMC Hummer EV pickup and Cadillac Lyriq crossover, people familiar with the plans said. Lyriq (shown above) is slated to go into production in late 2022, but GM officials have been stung by criticism the automaker was bringing the vehicle to market too late, one source said. "The pull-ahead in programs is real and the organization is really doubling down on speeding up product development," the source said. Barra and other GM executives have been signaling the automaker's EV acceleration plans. She said earlier this month GM would boost capital spending over the next three years to speed EV development and was talking with other automakers about partnerships to develop more vehicles using GM's battery technology. Last week, a GM executive said the company had pulled forward the rollout of two "major" EV programs, and GM officials have touted the faster 18-month development time for the Hummer truck. Tesla's soaring market capitalization, and growing pressure from regulators to phase out carbon-emitting engines, has put pressure on established automakers to respond to investors who view their internal combustion lineups as outmoded and doomed in the long run. A critical part of GM's pitch to investors has been its new Ultium batteries, which it estimates will offer an electric driving range of 400 miles or more on a single charge. It is building a battery plant with Korean battery maker LG Chem in northeast Ohio.

GMC's Hummer EV will offer several powertrain options

General Motors confirmed plans to resurrect the Hummer nameplate on a GMC-badged electric pickup, and it's beginning to release details about the drivetrain that will power the model. Speaking to investors, company president Mark Reuss announced buyers will have at least three drivetrains to choose from at launch. The few specifications that have already been announced are impressive. GMC quoted a three-second sprint from zero to 60 mph, at least 1,000 horsepower, and 11,500 pound-feet of torque, though that latter figure undoubtedly corresponds to wheel torque rather than the powertrain's basic output. Most truck buyers don't need Lamborghini-rivaling acceleration, and they'd rather not pay for it, so GMC will also offer more basic versions of its Hummer. "When we go to market, we'll have one-, two-, and three-motor versions offering different ranges, different performance, and different price points to meet customers wherever they may be. If the customer wants a basic package, we'll have that. If the customer wants true off-road capability, and towing capability, we'll have that, too," Reuss said. He stopped short of revealing additional specifications about each configuration. While that sounds expensive to develop and certify, Reuss explained General Motors is keeping costs in check by making the Hummer's powertrain as modular as possible. He compared the platform to an ice cube tray. Its overall dimensions are fixed, but people can choose how many rows they fill with water. What he's likely alluding to is a scalable battery pack whose capacity can be increased or decreased by adding or removing cell packs. As for the motors, we're expecting the entry-level, rear-wheel drive Hummer will come standard with a single motor mounted over the rear axle. The mid-range variant will likely gain a second motor positioned over the front axle to deliver through-the-road all-wheel drive, and the range-topping trim will receive individual rear motors (though they won't be integrated into the wheels) for jaw-dropping performance, and improved off-road capacity.  Economies of scale will come into play, too. While the Hummer is the only electric off-roader whose launch has been confirmed by General Motors, Reuss stated the company's other brands will benefit from it, too. "We'll have a complete lineup of EVs, including the [Hummer EV] and its stablemates," he said.