Tag Archives: GM

CONCEPT CARS

GM’s New Hummer Concepts Hint at a Bronco-Fighting Future

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The modern GMC Hummer EV is many things: outrageously powerful, technologically fascinating, and almost comically large. It’s also eye-wateringly expensive and weighs enough to make some commercial vehicles nervous. For most buyers, it’s less a realistic purchase and more a rolling demonstration of what General Motors’ Ultium platform can do.

But two new concept vehicles unveiled at GM’s newly opened Advanced Design studio in Pasadena, California, suggest the company may finally be exploring a version of Hummer that exists somewhere closer to reality.

Meet the Hummer X SUV and Hummer X Truck.

Officially, GM insists neither is destined for production. Unofficially? They look suspiciously like a preview of the direction the brand needs to take.

Developed at GM’s sprawling new 148,000-square-foot design facility, the concepts serve as rolling testbeds for future design themes, manufacturing techniques, and technology. More importantly, they answer a question many enthusiasts have been asking ever since the Hummer EV debuted: what if Hummer didn’t have to be enormous?

The answer starts with the Hummer X SUV.

At 188.3 inches long, the concept is roughly the size of a Ford Bronco rather than a suburban shopping mall. Its 116-inch wheelbase is more than ten inches shorter than the current Hummer EV SUV, yet it retains the visual toughness that defines the badge. The upright proportions, chunky fenders, and planted stance all scream Hummer, just without requiring three parking spaces and a second mortgage.

More importantly, the off-road hardware appears to be more than cosmetic.

GM equipped the concept with 37-inch tires, beadlock wheels, Multimatic dampers, removable fender flares, and serious underbody protection. Approach and departure angles of 44 and 46 degrees suggest the designers weren’t merely building something that looks adventurous on Instagram. On paper, at least, this thing appears capable of tackling terrain that would make many production SUVs think twice.

The interior is equally ambitious. A configurable cockpit uses stackable infotainment screens that can be added or removed depending on the driver’s preferences, while an onboard drone can scout trails ahead and relay information back to the vehicle. Some of it feels futuristic for the sake of being futuristic, but concept cars have always been allowed a little imagination.

The Hummer X Truck takes the same philosophy and stretches it into pickup form.

At 207.3 inches long, it’s significantly larger than the SUV but still lands squarely in midsize truck territory rather than competing with today’s gargantuan Hummer EV Pickup. Riding on a 130.7-inch wheelbase, the truck emphasizes modularity and customization, incorporating removable body components and the same off-road-focused attitude as its SUV sibling.

GM also used the pair to showcase a manufacturing process called Flex Fab, which enables low-volume metal part production without traditional stamping tools. It might sound like an obscure engineering footnote, but technologies like this could make niche vehicles easier and cheaper to develop in the future.

And that’s where these concepts become genuinely interesting.

GM may be correct when it says neither vehicle is headed directly to production. Concept cars often exist solely to provoke discussion and test ideas. Yet the thinking behind these Hummers feels too logical to ignore.

The Hummer name remains one of the most recognizable off-road brands in America, but today it’s effectively confined to six-figure electric flagships that occupy a tiny corner of the market. Meanwhile, buyers continue to flock toward vehicles like the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, and Jeep Gladiator—machines that offer genuine off-road capability in packages that are comparatively attainable.

A smaller, lighter, and more affordable Hummer lineup would arguably make far more business sense than relying exclusively on gigantic halo vehicles. It would also allow the brand to reconnect with the rugged, adventurous image that made the original Hummer such a cultural phenomenon in the first place.

Whether these exact concepts ever leave the design studio is almost beside the point.

The important takeaway is that somewhere inside GM, designers and planners are actively imagining a future where Hummer doesn’t have to be the biggest vehicle in the room. And if these concepts are any indication, that future might be considerably more appealing than the one currently sitting in GMC showrooms.

Don’t expect the Hummer X SUV or Truck to arrive unchanged. But don’t be surprised if the next generation of Hummer borrows heavily from what you’re looking at here. In fact, given the direction of the market, it would be surprising if it didn’t.

Source: GM

News

GM Refuses to Let the V8 Die

Not long ago, it felt like the V8 was being quietly escorted out of the building. Stricter emissions rules, turbocharged fours, and electrification all seemed to be writing the obituary for the eight-cylinder. But General Motors, never one to give up on horsepower without a fight, is doing the opposite—doubling down with an all-new generation of small-block V8 engines that will power Chevrolets, GMCs, and Cadillacs well into the next decade.

This sixth-generation V8 family isn’t just a mild update. GM is retooling multiple plants to support it, confirming production at facilities in Flint, Michigan, and Buffalo, New York, and now adding St. Catharines, Ontario, to the mix. That Canadian plant has already returned to two shifts as it ramps up for V8 production, underscoring just how serious GM is about keeping the internal-combustion flame alive.

The investment behind it is massive. GM says it has poured more than CA$2.6 billion into its Canadian operations over the past five years, including $280 million specifically allocated to support next-generation full-size pickups—vehicles that will be among the first to benefit from these new engines.

While GM hasn’t yet released official specs, the rumor mill is already running hot. The new V8 may revive the storied LS6 name and is expected to come in several flavors, including 5.7-liter and 6.6-liter variants. Sitting at the top of the food chain could be a 6.7-liter flagship, reportedly using an aluminum block and a dual fuel-injection setup that combines both direct and port injection—an arrangement that typically improves both power delivery and emissions performance.

And no, these engines aren’t just for work trucks and big SUVs. GM plans to drop them into sports cars too, starting with the Corvette lineup. That includes the long-awaited return of the Grand Sport, which has already been spotted during an official photoshoot wearing a familiar Admiral Blue paint job and red quarter-panel stripes, a visual callback to the beloved C7-era model.

If the rumors are accurate, the Grand Sport’s 6.7-liter V8 could make around 550 horsepower. That would slot it neatly between the standard Stingray and the more extreme E-Ray and Z06, creating a true sweet spot for buyers who want big power without stepping into full-blown track-weapon territory.

In an era when many automakers are shrinking engines or eliminating them altogether, GM’s new V8 push feels almost rebellious. It’s a reminder that while the future may be electric, the present still has room for thunderous exhaust notes, tire-shredding torque, and the kind of engines that made Detroit famous in the first place.

And if this new small-block delivers on its promise, the V8 won’t just survive—it might just be getting started again.

Source: GM

News

GM Energy Is Quietly Becoming the Power Company of the Future

General Motors isn’t just making electric cars anymore—it’s building the grid that will power them.

As part of its all-electric future, GM has been quietly expanding its energy arm, GM Energy, into one of the most ambitious electrification efforts in the auto industry. What began as a support division for EV owners has evolved into a full-fledged energy ecosystem—one that’s growing at a pace Silicon Valley startups would envy.

Over the past 18 months, GM Energy has reported 30 percent month-over-month revenue growth and a fivefold increase in sales of charging and energy products since January. Nearly seven out of ten GM EVs are sold with at least one GM Energy product, from home chargers to power adapters. That’s close to 100,000 adapters sold—numbers that hint at more than just convenience; they show an automaker turning into a genuine energy brand.

Charging Ahead

GM Energy’s core mission is to knock down the barriers that make EV ownership intimidating. A year ago, the company rolled out its energy management tools across all 50 states. Today, the lineup has expanded to 10 products, headlined by two key innovations:

  • Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) charging – GM’s take on bi-directional power lets compatible EVs feed electricity back into your home during a blackout.
  • The GM Energy PowerBank – a stationary home battery system that stores power from the grid or solar panels, giving users a backup reserve or off-peak savings.

In simpler terms: your Silverado EV might keep the lights on, and your house battery could save you money on the next stormy night.

GM’s also producing a range of charging adapters, smoothing the transition toward the North American Charging Standard (NACS). The upcoming 2026 Cadillac Optiq and 2027 Chevrolet Bolt will be the first to feature a native NACS inlet, signaling that GM’s plug future is fully aligned with Tesla’s.

Building the Network

Beyond your garage, GM is betting heavily on public charging. Through partnerships with EVgo, Pilot, and ChargePoint, plus a joint venture called IONNA (with other major automakers), GM Energy plans to deploy 35,000 fast chargers by 2030.

At present, GM drivers already have access to over 250,000 charging stations across North America, and GM-backed chargers rank among the top three networks for user satisfaction on PlugScore—a useful metric in an industry where “plug and pray” still feels all too familiar.

Notably, GM isn’t just dropping chargers in parking lots—it’s improving the experience. Many sites include restrooms, food, retail, and even weather-protected awnings for longer hauls or truck owners towing trailers. In other words, the EV rest stop is getting a much-needed glow-up.

Grid Games

The biggest play here isn’t about convenience—it’s about control. GM Energy’s collaborations with utilities could reshape how cars and power grids interact. Programs in Texas are already experimenting with free overnight charging, while California pilots test vehicle-to-grid tech that lets EVs return power to the system during peak demand.

That’s not just smart—it’s revolutionary. It turns millions of parked EVs into potential micro power plants, a concept energy analysts have long touted but few automakers have delivered at scale.

A Seat at the Table

To make all this possible, GM has joined the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and taken an active role in standardizing EV infrastructure. From charging connectors to grid integration, GM Energy is now influencing the rules that will govern how electric mobility fits into the broader energy landscape.

GM’s vision goes well beyond selling cars. It’s about selling energy independence, reliability, and resilience—values that resonate just as strongly in your driveway as they do on Wall Street.

If this trajectory continues, GM Energy might one day be as recognizable as OnStar—a quiet background service that ends up defining an entire generation of GM ownership. The difference this time? It’s not just about connecting your car. It’s about connecting everything that runs on electricity.

Source: Chevrolet