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General Motors could turn Hamtramck into its electric pickup, SUV hub

Electric off-roaders could revitalize the Detroit-Hamtramck factory that General Motors previously announced it will close. While official details remain shrouded in secrecy, analysts believe the plant will be re-tooled to manufacture at least three electric models due out during the early 2020s. The plant's scheduled closure was one of the grievances the United Auto Workers (UAW) union cited when it embarked on a 40-day strike in September 2019. General Motors agreed to keep it open without shedding much light on what it planned to build there. Analyst at LMC Automotive told the The Detroit News they believe an often-rumored electric SUV that will resurrect Hummer's name, image, or both will be one of the models assigned to the Hamtramck plant. Battery-powered variants of the GMC Sierra and the Cadillac Escalade will be made there, too, as will an enigmatic van. LMC Automotive's Jeff Schuster believes the van will come first; it could enter production as early as 2021. The Hummer — which might also be offered as a pickup — will follow before the end of 2022, while the Sierra and the Escalade will both arrive in 2023. We're taking this report with a grain of salt, though, because only one of the aforementioned models has been announced by General Motors. Rumors of a Hummer resurrection emerged in the summer of 2019, just a few weeks before we heard unverified reports of a battery-powered variant of the next-generation Escalade. General Motors confirmed plans to enter the burgeoning electric pickup truck segment, which Ford, Rivian, and Tesla also have their sights on, but it hasn't detailed how or when. The van is a mystery. General Motors refused to comment on the report. It previously announced it will keep Hamtramck open, and invest $3 billion to build electric vehicles there. The investment will create 2,225 jobs. Inaugurated in February 1985, the Hamtramck factory has churned out a diverse selection of models over the past 34 years, including Cadillac's Eldorado, Seville, and Allante, the Oldsmobile Toronado, the Buick Riviera, and more recently, gasoline-electric Chevrolet Volt. General Motors announced plans to close Hamtramck in 2018, but it quickly backpedaled and extended its lease on life until 2020 by keeping the Chevrolet Impala and the Cadillac CT6 around for a few additional months.

GMC Hummer EV recalled over improperly sealed battery pack

Over 700 units of the GMC Hummer EV built during the 2022 and 2023 model years will be recalled due to an improperly sealed battery pack that lets water in. The firm issued a stop-delivery order at the same time as the recall, and it hasn't found how to fix the problem yet. Assigned recall number 22V-771 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the campaign includes 735 examples of the Hummer EV and 89 units of the BrightDrop Zevo 600 van. These two vehicles are pegged on opposite ends of the automotive spectrum, but they're affected by the same problem: "the high-voltage battery pack enclosure in some of these vehicles may not have been properly sealed," GMC notes, adding that "flanges on the battery pack enclosure may not have been properly primed or electrocoated." Water can wreak havoc in a high-voltage battery pack. GMC told NHTSA that it has found three EVs with this problem: an internal test vehicle that lost power while driving and two customer-owned vehicles that wouldn't start. As of writing, the firm is not aware of any accidents, injuries, or fires related to the issue, and GMC estimates that only about 1% of the recalled EVs are affected. GMC began notifying dealers of the recall in October 2022, and it plans to start reaching out to owners on November 28, 2022. However, a fix hasn't been found yet. In the meantime, the company issued a stop-delivery order and asked dealers not to attempt their own repairs. This isn't the Hummer EV's first run-in with water-related problems. In August 2022, General Motors voluntarily recalled 424 units of the Hummer EV and the Zevo 600 van due to a high-voltage connector that can prematurely corrode. The problem also let water leak into the battery pack, though it sounds like fixing it was reasonably straight-forward and involved applying sealant to the connector. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1 First Drive View 17 Photos Green GMC Hummer Truck Electric

Surprise! GM putting aluminum in next-gen pickups

Last month, General Motors launched a series of ads touting the benefits of steel over aluminum – specifically, with regard to the Chevy Silverado versus the Ford F-150. (Kind of. We're not sure what a grizzly bear has to do with anything.) We took issue with the ads, with editor in chief Mike Austin saying they "reek of insecurity, and distract from the Silverado's strengths that could be used for positive advertising." But what bothers us more, is that yet another report surfaced claiming anti-aluminum GM will indeed use the weight-saving material in its next-generation fullsize trucks. On Tuesday, GM announced a $877-million investment for its truck plant in Flint, MI. But Reuters says that huge overhaul is because the trucks will use "substantially different equipment than the tools GM uses today." The report specifically states, "People familiar with the company's plans say GM's next-generation pickups and SUVs will make use of various materials, including aluminum and lightweight steel, to shed weight and gain fuel efficiency to meet tougher federal standards." The Silverado already uses a few aluminum components in the engine and hood, and if more widespread use will help GM build its best fullsize trucks ever, then that's great. Honestly, we have no reason to doubt that aluminum will be used in the next Silverado and GMC Sierra. We just hope GM remembers that nothing is ever truly deleted from the bowels of the Internet when it launches the subsequent "look how great aluminum is!" campaign. Related Video: News Source: Reuters Green Plants/Manufacturing Chevrolet GM GMC Truck aluminum steel