GMC’s Hummer EVs are too big and too expensive to register on most American buyers’ radar, but maybe that’s about to change. The heavy-duty GM brand just pulled the covers off two concepts that it swears aren’t destined for production, but give us a taste of what we might expect from a future generation of smaller, leaner-looking Hummers.

The concepts were unveiled alongside the opening of GM’s new Advanced Design studio in Pasadena, California, a 148,000 square feet studio spread across three buildings and home to 100 staff. Called the Hummer X SUV and Hummer X Truck, both are significantly shorter than today’s Hummer EV models and were, we’re told, created as rolling laboratories for new design, manufacturing, and technology ideas.

Related: Thieves Drove Two New Hummer EVs Off A Train, You Can Guess The Rest

First up is the Bronco-sized Hummer X SUV. Measuring 188.3 inches (4,783 mm) long with a 116-inch (2,946 mm) wheelbase, it’s 10.7 inches (272 mm) shorter between the axles than a current Hummer SUV, while retaining the chunky stance and visual toughness buyers expect from the nameplate. 

The off-road credentials are equally serious. GM fitted the concept with 37-inch tires, beadlock wheels, Multimatic dampers, removable fender flares, substantial underbody protection, and enough ground clearance to handle some really gnarly obstacles. Approach and departure angles of 44 and 46 degrees suggest the designers weren’t merely focused these things simply looking ready for off-road action.

Inside, the concept explores a highly configurable cockpit featuring stackable infotainment displays that can be added or removed depending on how much information drivers want available. There’s even a drone that can scout terrain ahead and relay information back to the vehicle.

The Hummer X Truck follows a similar philosophy but packages it in a familiar pickup shape. At 207.3 inches (5,265 mm) long and riding on a 130.7-inch (3,319 mm) wheelbase, it’s much bigger than the SUV, but slots into midsize truck territory rather competing with today’s XXL Hummer truck.

Flex Fab Technology

Like the SUV, it incorporates removable components, rugged off-road hardware, and a design intended to support customization. GM also used the concepts to showcase Flex Fab manufacturing technology, which allows low-volume metal parts production without traditional stamping tools.

GM is adamant these vehicles aren’t destined for showrooms. That’s probably true. But the ideas behind them feel harder to dismiss. The Hummer brand remains surprisingly underutilized given its recognition and the fashion for tough-looking utilities. And a family of smaller, more affordable off-road EVs would arguably make more sense than relying solely on enormous six-figure flagships that are selling so badly GM had to shut the plant down.

Even if these exact concepts never reach production, don’t be surprised if elements of their DNA eventually filter into future Hummers aimed at the likes of Ford’s Bronco and Jeep’s Wrangler and Gladiator. And probably sooner than you’d think.

GM

Another U.S. electric vehicle battery plant is on shaky ground as local EV demand keeps sliding. This one is the massive facility GM and Samsung have been building near New Carlisle, Indiana, and its future is now anything but certain.

The $3.5 billion plant was announced three years ago with initial plans for it to produce nickel-rich prismatic batteries. GM anticipated the site would initially have 30 GWh of capacity, meaning it could produce battery packs for up to 300,000 EVs annually. Capacity was then supposed to ramp up to 36 GWh.

Read: GM’s EV Dream Plant Is Now A Gas Powerhouse In The Making

The problem is what’s happened to the market since. With the Trump administration killing off the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, U.S. demand has cratered, and it’s getting harder for automakers and tech firms to justify writing checks this big for plants of this size.

GM has confirmed that construction of the plant will be paused. In a statement to Detroit News, GM spokesperson Kevin Kelly said: “Construction of the battery cell plant in New Carlisle, Indiana will be paused to align production capacity with current demand. GM and Samsung SDI will communicate plans for the site at a future date.”

The plan, for now, is to finish the building’s exterior as quickly as possible. However, after that, the future of the site remains unclear.

GM’s EV Mistakes

It’s possible the car manufacturer could completely withdraw from its joint venture with Samsung, which is exactly what it did in late 2024 when it pulled out of its partnership with LG Energy Solution on a Michigan battery plant. GM reportedly sold its stake to LG for $1 billion.

An alternative is for GM and Samsung to remain partners and instead manufacture more common lithium-iron phosphate batteries at the site.

If GM pulls out of its joint venture with Samsung, it’ll come at a cost. The company has already revealed it took up to $8.7 billion in EV-related charges and write-downs in 2025, and the money invested in the Indiana plant could be yet another misstep in its EV strategy. The site was supposed to employ up to 1,600 workers and initially set to set producing battery cells this year, although this was later delayed to 2027 a couple of years ago.

General Motors spent years telling us electric pickups were the next great American migration. Now the convoy appears to have missed an exit because reports claim GM has indefinitely paused development of its next-generation full-size EV trucks.

According to a piece by Crain’s Detroit, GM had been developing updated and lower-cost successors for the electric Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, Cadillac Escalade IQ, and GMC Hummer EV lineup, with production previously targeted for 2028.

Related: GM Pauses Production Of Two Hyped-Up EVs, Sending 1,300 Workers Home

But suppliers were reportedly told the program has been halted, with no replacement timeline offered. Industry watchers now don’t expect fresh full-size GM electric trucks before 2030, and they could end up arriving much later.

That doesn’t mean GM’s current EV trucks are dead. Existing models will continue rolling out of the under-utlilized Factory Zero in Detroit-Hamtramck, the story says, and experts think the Escalade IQ is important enough to Cadillac’s plans to keep in production. But it does suggest GM wants to spend more R&D time and money on products customers are actually buying in larger numbers right now. Ones that run on gasoline.

The company is said to be redirecting resources toward its upcoming T1-2 internal-combustion truck platform, which is expected to power future full-size pickups and SUVs. Orion Assembly, once earmarked for electric trucks, and now thriving after switching to ICE versions, is now reportedly preparing for future gas-powered models.

Hybrids And Range Extenders

Crain’s Detroit sources also claim plug-in hybrid versions of the Silverado and Sierra are in the mix, while GM has discussed range-extended EV tech with suppliers. It’s an idea rivals are already chasing. Ram is expected to launch a range-extended pickup first, while Ford has signaled similar plans after backing away from the idea of renewing the all-electric F-150 Lightning.

No More Federal Handouts, Or Directives

None of this is happening in a vacuum. EV tax credits have been rolled back, emissions rules have softened, and demand for expensive electric pickups hasn’t exactly set sales charts on fire. Big batteries and six-figure stickers remain a hard sell for many truck buyers, though GM refused to comment on the report that its EV plans have been axed.

“We have not disclosed any potential plans or timing for any next-generation battery electric trucks and we’re not going to engage in speculation,” a GM spokesperson told Crain’s Detroit.

GM still says the long-term destination is electric, and it probably is. But right now, Detroit’s most profitable vehicles are trucks, and trucks and their buyers can’t kick their gasoline habit.

GM

The auto industry is at a crossroads with EVs, and this is becoming increasingly evident. Nearly every automobile manufacturer has been forced into some level of self-reflection as far as electric cars are concerned. Some are forging ahead in hope, while others are slowing down and reassessing their plans as market demand fluctuates and prices rise.

Also: These Are The Best-Selling EVs In America This Year So Far

The recent developments in the industry portray the picture of how fragmented everything has become. Some have already abandoned or delayed EV projects since it has emerged that the growth they were envisaging was not that imminent. Others are in the process of doubling down and are taking this as a chance to leapfrog, as competition takes a breather.

Slow And Steady Wins The Race?

Toyota is one of the companies that continues to go on the offensive. It will launch four electric models in the U.S. towards the end of the year, including the bZ, bZ Woodland, C-HR, and a three-row Highlander EV.

Speaking to Automotive News, analysts from iSeeCars and Edmunds expressed positivity on Toyota’s approach. Toyota had attracted criticism for its slow approach towards EVs, but its measured approach seems to have left it in good standing. The ratio of hybrids, gas cars, and EVs the company has had over the years is finally starting to pay off because it will be able to be flexible as the market readjusts.

Pull Backs And Uncertainty

One of the biggest shifts in EV planning has to have been from Honda. The Japanese company has scrapped a number of future electric models and is shifting to hybrids. This move comes with a financial hit, but the company believes that it is a more prudent short-term decision since EV demand has not yet evened out.

Read: Toyota’s bZ Outsold The Prius, And Now A Second US-Made Electric SUV Is Coming

Stellantis is taking the same route, scrapping its electric Ram pickup and delaying other EV plans in Europe. Ford and General Motors are not giving up on electric vehicles, but instead, they are streamlining their production to suit demand rather than overloading it too soon. It is not about quitting but timing things.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen has canceled its production of the US-made ID4 electric crossover. Besides the ID Buzz minivan, there are no plans to expand the VW EV lineup stateside for the next couple of years. On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz still plans to introduce more EVs to the US, but their approach will continue to incorporate gas and hybrid options too.

See Also: A 96% Sales Collapse Is Why VW Just Killed US ID.4 Production

These different avenues are reduced down to the situation of the firms, according to industry analysts. Some have the financial cushion to keep on investing, but others are choosing to save and avoid incurring more losses.