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2020 GMC Sierra HD pricing announced

Just as with its Chevy twin, pricing for the 2020 GMC Sierra HD has been revealed. Unlike the Chevy, though, prices haven't dropped across the board. The ultimate base prices for the 2500 HD and 3500 HD are technically less than the 2019 models at $37,195 and $38,395 respectively, but that's because those are the reintroduced regular cab models. Matching up the body styles of the last year's cheapest Sierras with their new equivalents, and the prices have crept up a few hundred dollars. But the next highest trim level, SLE, drops in price by nearly $2,000 between equivalent trucks. Equivalent SLT trucks are up nearly $2,000 each, though, and the base Denalis have gone up by about $7,000. This is due in part to the 2020 Sierra Denali no longer being offered with two-wheel drive. Comparing the old and new four-wheel drive models, the price is still up by about $4,000. While the new Sierra HD is only more affordable than the last one in certain circumstances, they all feature more capability. The standard 6.0-liter gas-powered V8 makes an extra 41 horsepower and 84 pound-feet of torque than the old one for a total of 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque. The 6.6-liter diesel V8 still makes 445 horsepower and 910 pound-feet of torque, but it now gets a 10-speed automatic transmission. Maximum fifth-wheel towing has increased, too. For the 2500, that number jumps from 15,400 pounds to 18,500 in the new model. For the 3500, fifth-wheel towing goes from 23,100 pounds to 35,500 pounds for the new truck. And of course, you can get GMC's fancy MultiPro tailgate on the new Sierra HD. One final note on the Sierra HD's pricing: it has the highest base price of the full-size heavy duty trucks. The Ford F-250 Super Duty is the cheapest at $34,745 and is closely followed by the Ram 2500 at $35,090. The full range of GMC Sierra HD pricing is listed below: Sierra 2500 HD Regular Cab Sierra: $37,195 SLE: $41,595 Double Cab Sierra: $39,795 SLE: $43,595 SLT: $52,195 Crew Cab Sierra: $41,595 SLE: $45,395 SLT: $53,995 AT4: $59,295 Denali: $65,295 Sierra 3500 HD Regular Cab Sierra: $38,395 SLE: $42,795 Double Cab Sierra: $41,195 SLE: $44,995 Crew Cab Sierra: $42,795 SLE: $46,595 SLT: $55,195 AT4: $60,495 Denali: $66,495 Update: The estimation of price difference between 2019 and 2020 Sierra Denalis has been corrected. Additional clarification of Denali price changes has also been added.

GM CEO Mary Barra predicts mass electrification will take decades

General Motors is allocating a substantial amount of money to the development of electric technology, but Mary Barra, the firm's CEO, conceded that battery-powered cars won't fully replace their gasoline-burning counterparts for several decades. She stressed the shift is ongoing, but she hinted it will be slower than many assume. "We believe the transition will happen over time," affirmed Barra on "Leadership Live with David Rubenstein," a talk show aired by Bloomberg Television. She added that not every car will be electric in 2040. "It will happen in a little bit longer period, but it will happen," she told the host. She was presumably talking about the United States market; the situation is markedly different in Europe and in China, where strict government regulations (and even stricter ones on the horizon) are accelerating the shift towards electric cars. On the surface, it doesn't look like General Motors has much invested in electrification; the only battery-powered model it sells in America in 2020 is the Chevrolet Bolt (pictured), which undeniably remains a niche vehicle. Sales totaled 16,418 units in 2019, meaning the Corvette beat it by about 1,500 sales. In comparison, Cadillac sold 35,424 examples of the aging last-generation Escalade during the same time period. And yet, the company isn't giving up. It has numerous electric models in the pipeline including a slightly larger version of the aforementioned Bolt, the much-hyped GMC Hummer pickup, and an electric crossover assigned to the Cadillac brand. These models (and others) will use the Ultium battery technology that General Motors is currently developing. Its engineers are also working on a modular platform capable of underpinning a wide variety of cars. Bringing these innovations to the market is a Herculean task. EVs may not take over for decades, but Barra and her team must believe their 2% market share will increase significantly in the coming years if they're approving these programs. Autonomous technology is even costlier, more complicated, and more time-consuming to develop. Barra nonetheless expects to see the first General Motors-built driverless vehicles on the road by 2025. "I definitely think it will happen within the next five years. Our Cruise team is continuing to develop technology so it's safer than a human driver. I think you'll see it clearly within five years," she said on the same talk show. Her statement is vague but realistic.

GMC says it's 'considering' an all-electric Sierra pickup

GM loves to talk about its electric future — Cadillac was just announced as the brand's official electric division — but trucks haven't been mentioned as a part of this electric revolution, so far. However, that may be changing. CNBC spoke with Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC about the potential for an electric GMC Sierra. He replied, "Certainly, it's something we're considering." As the Sierra goes, so does the Chevrolet Silverado, and vice versa. But it would make sense for GM to introduce electrification to GMC first, followed by the Silverado. GMC already gets premium features such as the Multi-Pro tailgate are GMC exclusives, after all. It's also marketed as more high-end and premium, which could help make the cost of an electrified Sierra easier to recoup for GM, and easier to stomach for customers. This electric truck consideration could be in response to Ford's aggressive declaration of an electric F-150 the other day, as well as the electric concept trucks from Rivian and Bollinger. The concepts in particular have generated much excitement for their ridiculous claimed performance and shocking utility. If GMC is only "considering" it, then we imagine the brand isn't too far along the development path, if it's even started. Regardless, it's the most affirmative stance we've seen GM take on total electrification of a full-size pickup truck yet. We asked GMC for confirmation and for any clarification it could provide us on the Sierra's electric future, but a spokesperson responded with, "no comment." Related video: