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What the electric Hummer's size and weight means for its efficiency

The 2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1. Tim Levin/Insider If you think driving a pint-sized Nissan Leaf is as good for the planet as driving a huge electric Hummer, think again.  The GMC Hummer EV uses significantly more electricity than other EVs, meaning it produces more pollution upstream.  The electric Hummer weighs 9,000 pounds and its battery weighs as much as a Honda Civic. The new electric Hummer rolls through town without a deafening engine rumble or a cloud of toxic fumes, but it doesn't exactly tread lightly.  The colossal truck weighs an astonishing 9,000 pounds. (Think two Toyota Tacomas, three Honda Civics, or 24 Shaquille O'Neals.) Moreover, the GMC Hummer EV is in many ways a supersized gas guzzler for a new era. It repackages many of the same flaws of hulking SUVs and trucks of years past — and proves not all zero-emission cars are created equal. EVs can be energy guzzlers too On the whole, electric cars use less energy than gas-powered ones. But they aren't all equally efficient.  No surprise here: The Hummer needs more electricity than any other EV on the market to move its elephantine frame. The Environmental Protection Agency rates the pickup at 47 MPGe (miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent). For comparison, the Tesla Model 3 sedan is nearly three times as efficient, earning a rating of 132 MPGe. The Ford F-150 Lightning, another electric truck, gets 70 MPGe.  This has real consequences: Since the US gets 61% of its energy from oil, coal, and natural gas, the more electricity a car needs, the more pollution it creates upstream.  As the Union of Concerned Scientists put it: "Both EV cars and trucks are much cleaner than their gasoline counterparts, but electric trucks are responsible for more global warming emissions than electric cars simply because trucks are larger and heavier."  The 2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1. Tim Levin/Insider The Hummer EV is also resource-intensive to manufacture, requiring a ginormous (and weighty) battery to give people the 300-plus miles of range they desire. You could produce three Chevrolet Bolts with the same battery cells consumed by one Hummer.

Engine block heater issues force GM to recall 324,226 diesel heavy duty trucks

General Motors has issued a recall on 324,226 diesel heavy duty trucks that could be susceptible to short circuits, and consequently, potential fire. The recall affects several models of heavy duty Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras with optional engine block heaters. GM is recalling seven different truck models spread across three years. The recall affects the 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, 2017-2019 Silverado 3500HD, 2019 Silverado 4500HD, 2019 Silverado 5500HD, and 2019 Silverado 6500HD, plus the 2017-2019 GMC Sierra 2500HD and 2017-2019 Sierra 3500HD. Specifically, it includes these models with the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel engines and the optional engine block heater. The recall technically deals not with the engine block heater itself, but the way it is connected. According to NHTSA campaign No. 19V328000, the engine block heater cord or the terminals that link the cord to the heater could short circuit. A short circuit could potentially damage engine components and result in a fire. According to The Detroit News, 19 fires have been reported but nobody has been injured. GM has yet to figure out a fix, and thus has not yet released a notification schedule for affected customers. If you believe your vehicle is part of the recall, contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733 and use reference number N182206310.

2021 GMC Canyon AT4 will offer an Off-Road Performance Edition Package

In March 2018, GMC announced the 2019 Sierra 1500 AT4, the alphanumeric finale denoting heightened ridge height and off-road capability. In December of that year, GMC took the AT4 further, creating an Off-Road Performance Package that boosted horsepower and torque, and re-soled the 18-inch machined rims in Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac Mud Terrains. History will repeat itself in 2020, one truck size category down. GMC unveiled the Canyon AT4 (pictured) in Vail, Colorado, earlier this month, and now GM Authority reports that a Canyon AT4 Off-Road Performance Edition Package is on the way later this year.  The Canyon AT4, which replaces the Canyon All Terrain, upgrades the standard truck with all the erstwhile All Terrain kit like tuned suspension, Advanced Hill Descent Control, transfer case skid plate, automatic locking rear differential, and 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires on 17-inch aluminum wheels. Design tweaks include the new, bolder front fascia and red recovery hooks. The Canyon AT4 Off-Road Performance Package goes a different route than on the Sierra, improving ruggedness instead of engine output. GMA says the suite includes front and middle performance skid plates, rocker protection, a spray-on bedliner, performance exhaust tip, and 17-inch gloss black aluminum wheels in favor of the Dark Argent Metallic units. A front leveling kit removes the factory rake. This variant will wear a black AT4 badge as opposed to the regular red and chrome AT4 denominator. Inside, we'll guess the AT4's Kalahari stitching and embroidered headrests stay in the game. They'll be joined by all-weather mats. Since GMC hasn't announced the upfit, we don't have pictures or pricing. Tallying up what individual options we could on the 2020 Canyon All Terrain came to $1,970, but that doesn't reflect pricing for next year's new AT4 trim, nor does it include components like the front leveling kit or gloss black wheels. GM Authority said production should begin in June or July, so we can look forward to info closer to summer. Related Video: