Some of you may recall a commercial during the Superbowl in February announcing the return of Hummer in an all-electric form. What has trickled out since then is that Hummer will be a vehicle or two under the GMC umbrella. Now we have word that the reveal of the first vehicle, originally scheduled for May, 20th has been delayed.

COVID-19 Delays and cancellations

For those that are unaware, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a pretty brutal effect on the automotive industry. Not only have workers at production plants lost their lives, but sales also unsurprisingly tanked for a bit, and international automotive shows announcing new products have been either canceled or postponed. The new mid-engine C8 Corvette which launched earlier this year, has even had trim levels truncated for the 2020 year in response to factory shutdowns. 

The anticipated rollout of the GMC Hummer vehicles is also feeling the Coronavirus effects. The May 20th date originally planned for the public reveal has been postponed. No date has been given as of yet for the rescheduled reveal. General Motors, the parent company for GMC, did say, however, that while the reveal has been postponed, production, however, is still unaffected. So, the vehicle is still expected to hit the dealerships in late 2021. In the meantime, the development of the vehicle is still ongoing. 

In General Motors’ own words 

“While we cannot wait to show the GMC Hummer EV to the world, we will reschedule the May 20th reveal date. In the meantime, the team’s development work continues on track and undeterred. We invite all to stay tuned for more stories on this super truck’s incredible capability leading up to its official debut.”

A teaser video

A teaser video has shown up online regarding the Hummer. But, little information is available. It does appear to show a vehicle going through a dirt road. Interestingly, that vehicle may have a large glass top or a removable top. It’s too hard to tell. But, it’s a moot point because the caption at the bottom left, in small white print says that it is a “Simulated vehicle shown”.

Restarting production is complicated

It is important to note the COVID-19 did not just affect the production plants of the automakers. It also affected the supplier network. Those networks also need time to determine how to bring workers back safely. In the meantime, identifying shortages and production re-start dates for every company somehow involved in the production of a vehicle is still being determined and likely plays into any delays. While there seem to be some places where production may ramp back up in the next week, there are still other companies that may need more time depending on global and regional restrictions. 

What we do know is that the Hummer commercial back in February put out some bold data about the Hummer. For example, it will be an all-electric vehicle. It will put out the equivalent of 1,000 horsepower. Torque numbers will put it at 11,500 lb.-ft. Finally, the zero-to-sixty time will be three seconds. All of that sounds pretty impressive, especially since it will be in a truck format. Those are supercar numbers. A delay in the reveal or not, those numbers mean that many people are on the edge of their seats waiting for Hummer’s return.