GM currently has almost no presence in Europe. 5 years back the firm sold its Opel and Vauxhall brands to the group now known as Stellantis. Since then, the only GM products officially sold in Europe have been the Cadillac XT4 and Chevrolet Corvette – albeit in very small numbers in a handful of countries.
However, things could be about to change. According to Automotive News GM is considering launching the GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq in Europe. Such a move would greatly raise GM’s European presence, but there are undoubtedly several issues with the idea.
The potential problems lie mainly with the GMC Hummer EV. Firstly, it’s ginormous – far bigger than any other passenger vehicle currently available in Europe. The Hummer EV is 216.8″ long and 86.7″ wide. Driving one around narrow European streets built hundreds of years ago for horses could be a challenge. It also weighs 9,063 lbs (4,110 kg) meaning it would not be classed as a passenger vehicle by EU law but instead a commercial truck. This means you’d need a CDL to drive one in Europe as a regular EU driver’s license only allows you to operate vehicles weighing less than 7,716 lbs (3,500 kg).
There are also no GMC dealerships in Europe, so they would need to be set up. There are however a handful of Cadillac dealers, mostly in Germany and Switzerland. Overall it seems to make a lot more sense for GM to bring the Lyriq to Europe and forget about launching the Hummer EV across the pond.
The Lyriq is reasonably sized – many Europeans would consider it a compelling alternative to the Model Y, iX3 and Q4 e-tron on the more premium end of the electric crossover segment. It also has superb range and great tech. Plus, building brand awareness in Europe should not be too much of an issue for Caddy. Cadillac is an iconic and respected name, even in markets where its presence is low. Pricing should be pretty attainable too. Sure, the Lyriq wouldn’t be as affordable as it is in the US ($61,795) but it still should be within reach for a lot of the European upper middle class.
Would you like to see the Hummer EV and Lyriq launched in Europe? Europeans, would you consider a GM EV? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
