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GMC Hummer EV First Drive Review | True supertruck, for better and for worse

Right from the start, the 2022 GMC Hummer EV has been advertised with superlatives, mostly in reference to its specifications. GMC has even called it a "supertruck" in its own materials. And while we've received a taste of the truck before, only now have we finally got our hands on the production-spec model, and had the opportunity to drive it both off-road and on the street. What we've found is that the Hummer EV is undoubtedly a supertruck, much the same way that a Ferrari or a Lamborghini is a supercar. It totally delivers on its incredible capabilities, but there are compromises. And they're worth being aware of before plunking down the more than $100,000 a first-year Hummer will run you. That six-figure truck is the version we tested, the Edition 1, which actually rings in at $112,595. It's the only version in production for now, with lower trims coming in the next couple years. It's sold out, but many of the features will be available on the next highest trim level, the EV 3X. Among those features are the three motors, torque vectoring, “Watts To Freedom” launch mode, four-wheel steering, removable glass roof panels, 35-inch tires, Super Cruise, power rear window and MultiPro tailgate. In other words, although you can literally no longer order an Edition 1, you can still order a Hummer EV with nearly the same specification. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. We'll start where most owners probably will: mashing the throttle. No one can resist seeing what 1,000 horsepower and 1,200 pound-feet of torque will feel like. It's even a tad more torque in Watts To Freedom mode, which preemptively runs the cooling system to enable the additional twist. That mode allows the Hummer to hit 60 mph in 3 seconds, and the drama is dialed up with visual, audible and haptic cues. But even without engaging launch mode, the Hummer EV impresses and delights with its acceleration. In addition to pinning you to the seat, the entire truck squats in an exaggerated fashion. It's absurd, especially considering the truck's curb weight that surpasses a truly astounding 9,000 pounds. ThatÂ’s several hundred pounds more than the heaviest GMC Sierra HD 3500 diesel dually. Of course, that weight, as well as the nature of electric motors, means the party starts to calm down as the speed increases. The weight is noticeable in other areas, too.

Cadillac CT6 production ceases January 2020 as part of D-Ham layoffs

General Motors filed paperwork under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act with Michigan's Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity this week, detailing events to come at the automaker's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant. Starting February 28, 814 salaried and hourly workers at D-Ham, as its called, will be laid off. The 753 workers represented by the UAW will begin receiving offers in January to relocate to facilities in Michigan and Ohio, or buyout offers. As the 4-million-square-foot plant winds down through April 3 to a skeleton crew, the Cadillac CT6 ceases production in January 2020, and the last Chevrolet Impala comes off the line on February 28. The loss of the CT6 represents the end of Cadillac's latest brief, and highly regarded, adventure into flagship sedans. It might also mean the end of the 4.2-liter Blackwing twin-turbo V8 engine, at least for the moment. Both casualties are calamities. The death of the Impala closes the door on a nameplate in production for 52 years since 1957, having started off as a top-tier trim for the 1958 Bel Air known as the Bel Air Impala, once advertised with the line, "Lets you know you're the boss." As part of the new four-year labor agreement with the UAW, GM is keeping D-Ham open to build a new line of battery-electric vehicles, ultimately investing $3 billion and tripling employment to 2,225 workers when fully operational. The agreement described the coming EV as a "van" that would commence production in late 2021, but various reports say what's actually coming is a range of premium EVs in pickup and SUV bodystyles under the program codename BT1. The easy predictions put an electric GMC Sierra and Cadillac Escalade among the EV fold, but not until 2023, according to auto industry forecaster LMC Automotive. Before that, LMC claims an electric van will debut in late 2021, along with a battery-powered rebirth of the Hummer brand in pickup and SUV forms, also in late 2021. 

GM, Pilot will build EVgo fast chargers at 500 truck stops across U.S.

All of our maps showing electric vehicle charging stations across the U.S. are going to need an update. Today, General Motors, Pilot and EVgo announced plans to work together on a nationwide DC fast charging network. The plan calls for 2,000 charging stalls that can deliver up to 350 kW to be installed at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J travel centers in the U.S. The goal is to have DC fast chargers available in 50-mile intervals across the country. The new charging stations will feature GM's "Ultium Charge 360" branding and "Pilot Flying J" logos but will not be limited to drivers of GM EVs. The plugs will use CCS connectors and be available to anyone. GM EV owners can take advantage of benefits, including the ability to make exclusive reservations, get discounts on charging costs and streamline the charging process with Plug and Charge and in-vehicle apps that can provide real-time charger availability. The first installation phase will take place in 2023, and "the bulk of the installations" should be completed by 2025, EVgo CEO Kathy Zoi said during a conference call with reporters announcing the plan. "We're gonna get going immediately and commence all of that engineering and planning stuff," she said. "We've got a pretty orderly plan." Pilot CEO Shameek Konar said the company expects the new EV charging stations to coexist with the current fuel infrastructure. "An average Pilot Flying J location is about 10 acres," Konar said. "This will be in addition to all of our gas pumps. The way I think about it is, this is a new source of energy that is going to coexist with gas for quite some time. We can debate how long, but we need to serve both groups of customers." Installing DC fast chargers at hundreds of Pilot's travel centers — aka truck stops — means there should be food, drinks, restrooms, WiFi and even showers available while you wait for an EV to charge. Pilot recently announced its “New Horizons” plan that will invest $1 billion in upgrading Pilot travel centers with more premium amenities, including expanded seating and lounge areas. While the exact amount of time it will take to charge an EV using these new stations will vary on the EV and its current state of charge, most EVs can refill from a low state of charge to around 80 percent in 20-30 minutes on a fast charger. The new stations are future-proofed to deliver up to 350 kW, a charge rate that few EVs today can handle.