A new documentary is to air on A+E Networks showcasing the development of the GMC Hummer EV from conception to production, as well as the story behind GM’s Ultium platform. Produced by WTP Pictures and Hiatus, and directed by Sean King O’Grady, it will first air in the DRIVE block on The HISTORY Channel on Sunday, March 27, at 11:00 ET.
“Our goal was to upend what an electric vehicle is capable of and push the boundaries from 100 years of vehicle development experience,” said Josh Tavel, executive chief engineer, GM. “This documentary captures the soul of a team capable of incredible innovation and resilience. Their learnings are laying the foundation of vehicle development for decades to come.”
The 60-minute film follows a specially selected group of General Motors team members. Viewers will gain an insight into how the engineers tested the GMC Hummer EV to its limits in snow and ice in the freezing temperatures of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and how they fine-tuned its off-road capability in the scorching heat and up the steep, red rocks of Moab, Utah.
Along the way, viewers will dive deeper into GM’s testing and development facilities, which are closed to the public, including the GM Design Building at the Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, and the company’s proving grounds in Milford, Michigan and Yuma, Arizona.
Viewers will also gain an understanding of the massive undertaking to build-out and retool GM’s Factory ZERO Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant.
“The story we discovered while filming was far more fascinating than anything we could have hoped for,” said O’Grady. “We witnessed a bold and passionate team bring GM’s first major entry into this extraordinary transformation of the auto industry. This was an incredible opportunity to go deep behind the scenes of the development process to discover what it takes to bring a vehicle to life, and to capture this moment in automotive history as it happened.”
“Throughout the film, we incorporated imagery of the team fine-tuning the GMC Hummer EV and testing across a variety of rugged terrains and cutting-edge industrial settings,” said Jesse Ford, founder of WTP Pictures and producer of the film. “We’re excited to show audiences how hobbies and experiences inspired real-world features like CrabWalk1.”
Following the premiere on The HISTORY Channel, there will be an encore showing of the film on FYI on Thursday, March 31, at 21:00 ET. The documentary will also be available for streaming via History on Hulu and History.com on Sunday, March 27 as well as on GMC’s YouTube channel starting Sunday, April 3.
Mike Buccella, vice president, program partnerships and enthusiast brands at A+E Networks, commented, “A+E Networks is proud to collaborate with GMC to bring car enthusiasts behind the scenes of the making of the 2022 GMC Hummer EV, GMC’s first all-electric vehicle. Drive viewers on The HISTORY Channel and FYI have an incredible passion for automotive innovation and adventure and this documentary delivers those in spades.”
Watch the official trailer here.
Click here to read more on the engineering and test program behind the GMC Hummer EV in the June 2021 issue of ATTI.