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GMC confirms Hummer EV will be joined by an electric Sierra, or Sierra-like, pickup

GMC will step into the electric vehicle arena for the first time when it begins building the Hummer EV in 2021. While it's not planning on becoming an electric-only brand, it has more battery-powered models in the pipeline. "There will be an all-electric Sierra pickup, but no timeline yet. But, the plan is to make it electric; this whole electric thing is a moving target," Lynn Thompson, the president of a Buick-GMC-Cadillac dealership in Missouri, told the Detroit Free Press. He said executives revealed those plans during a national dealer meeting. What remains to be seen is whether the truck will be an electric variant of the Sierra as Thompson said, or if it will arrive as a standalone electric truck with Sierra-like dimensions and capabilities. Sister company Chevrolet is also planning to launch an electric pickup in the coming years, and it strongly hinted it will take the second route. Its entry into the segment won't look like a Silverado, and nothing seriously suggests it will be badged as one. It will also be interesting to watch how GMC ensures that the truck doesn't overlap with the Hummer EV, which will exclusively be offered as a four-door pickup with a relatively short cargo box when it arrives in stores as a 2022 model. Our crystal ball tells us the Hummer will be marketed as a more expensive model aimed at weekend adventurers who want to make a statement, while the Sierra-like model will be cheaper and primarily aimed at buyers who merely want a truck, whether they're commuters, contractors, or fleet operators. Chevrolet's entry into the segment will slot beneath these two models. General Motors used this strategy nearly 20 years ago to keep the Hummer H2, the GMC Yukon, and the Chevrolet Tahoe in separate corners of the same room. GMC's electric truck could share powertrain and chassis components with the Hummer EV. It might also be built in the same Hamtramck, Michigan, factory that parent company General Motors is funneling $2.2 billion into. Regardless of the path it takes, GMC is not going all-electric. "[GMC boss] Duncan [Aldred] said we're certainly not going to abandon our internal combustion engine vehicles because that's our core business, and that was good to hear. It's to let people know they're not going down the same road as Cadillac," a dealer who asked to remain anonymous said. Cadillac might go EV-only by 2025, starting with a crossover named Lyriq, and many of its dealers have refused to spend $200,000 on upgrades.

GMC Canyon next generation previewed with off-road AT4X trim

GMC is preparing to give the Canyon, its smallest and most affordable pickup, a complete makeover. While we won't see the truck for a few months, the company released a preview image to give us an idea of what to expect and confirmed the lineup will include an AT4X model. Although the teaser keeps most of the sheetmetal hidden, the truck appears to receive a more chiseled hood and concave door skins that should make it look less slab-sided. The fenders are eye-catching as well: They're more punched-out that the current-generation model's. Keep in mind that we're looking at the AT4X trim, which will be positioned as the off-road champion of the range and should consequently get a brawnier-looking design. Other off-road goodies include big Goodyear Wrangler tires wrapped around 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, plastic wheel arch flares, and rock rails. GMC is keeping additional details under wraps, but we're guessing suspension tweaks are part of the package as well. After all, the current-generation AT4 benefits from a one-inch suspension lift and skid plates, among other upgrades. This isn't the first time we've seen or heard of the Canyon AT4X. Our spy photographers caught a camouflaged prototype that looks taller and considerably more rugged than the AT4 in July 2021, and the Canyon AT4 OVRLANDX concept introduced in August 2021 seemingly previewed some of the features that will trickle down to the production model, including the rock rails and wheel arches. GMC will unveil the next-generation Canyon this summer, and we expect to hear more about it in the coming weeks. And, if a new Canyon is around the corner, that likely means that the next Chevrolet Colorado isn't far behind. Both will compete directly against the new Ford Ranger, which has only been unveiled for overseas markets as of writing and which will spawn a range-topping, V6-powered Raptor. Another competitor the duo will need to fend off is the Nissan Frontier, which got its first update since the 2005 model year for 2022. Already offered on the 2022 Sierra, the outdoorsy AT4X trim will spread across the GMC range in the coming years. Nothing is official yet, but earlier spy shots strongly suggest that the Sierra Heavy Duty will be treated to the AT4X treatment in the not-too-distant future. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

GM can't keep up with most popular pickup orders

With the market for pickup trucks at its best since before the recession, General Motors can't afford any hiccups with the launch of its new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra twins, but it sounds like the popularity of V8-powered trucks is causing some supply-chain issues. Bloomberg reports that GM is experiencing a shortage of 5.3-liter V8 engines because an unnamed parts supplier has been unable to keep up with demand. This is leading GM to restrict the number of V8 Silverado and Sierra trucks that Chevrolet and GMC dealers are allowed to order.
Although it's unclear how long it will take to resolve the parts shortage, GM doesn't have much time to sort it out, as a new Ford F-150 looms on the horizon. At launch, GM's fullsize trucks were offered only with a base 4.3-liter V6 and the 5.3-liter V8, but a burlier 6.2-liter V8 will be available soon. Interestingly, at least at the moment, GM truck buyers don't seem as willing to downsize to V6 power as buyers of the F-150, which gets some 42-percent of its sales from trucks equipped with its EcoBoost V6 engine (not including the normally aspirated base V6).
Working out the kinks in the Silverado and Sierra's supply chain couldn't be more important to the health of the company. Full-size pickups are a huge profit driver - in 2012, the trucks were said to make up about two-third of GM's total profits.