GM recently took the wraps off the Hummer EV, its first foray into the budding all-electric pickup truck market. Inasmuch as the vehicle’s five-minute video unveiling was compelling, it soon became evident that the impressive feats being showcased by the Hummer EV in its reveal were not necessarily real. Soon, a GM engineer reportedly admitted that the company doesn’t have a fully-functioning prototype of the Hummer EV yet, and the vehicle shown in the unveiling was computer-generated.
Yet despite this, the Hummer EV has garnered a significant amount of praise, even from veteran auto reviewers. Doug DeMuro, one of the most prolific car reviewers on YouTube, remarked that the Hummer EV seemed to be farther along in its development compared to rivals such as the Tesla Cybertruck and the Rivian R1T. This statement unsurprisingly caught the ire of the Tesla enthusiast community, and it did not take long before legitimate arguments against the Hummer EV were dismissed since they were coming from a “Tesla fanboy” angle.
But let’s forget Tesla and the Cybertruck for a minute.
Even if one removes Tesla and its post-apocalyptic steel triangle on wheels out of the equation, the Hummer EV still fails to do justice to the EV efforts of rival automakers, both veterans and newcomers alike. This is especially notable when it comes to the all-electric vehicles that companies like Ford, Porsche, Rivian, and Polestar have created. Compared to the Mustang Mach-E, the Rivian R1T, the Polestar 2, and the Porsche Taycan—even the Ford F-150 Electric—the Hummer EV is barely more than CGI.
This was highlighted by electric vehicle veteran and enthusiast Sean Mitchell, who noted that the display unit Hummer EV showcased in the all-electric pickup’s early reviews had an electrical cord running from the truck to a plug. This is common practice for vehicles that are placed in displays, as it prevents batteries from being discharged. There is only one issue: the Hummer EV is supposed to be equipped with a massive 200 kWh battery, a pack that could, at least theoretically, power the truck’s electronics for weeks on its own.
Granted, later comments from reviewers such as DeMuro noted that they did see a moving Hummer EV display unit during their initial review of the vehicle. This is a low bar, however, as a small motor and a small battery pack could have been used to propel the vehicle. This is something that has not been done by GM’s competitors. Multiple Porsche Taycans were driven onstage during the car’s unveiling, for example, and the Rivian R1T was fully-functioning when it was showcased for the first time. Even the Mustang Mach-E and Polestar 2 had working units that needed no electrical cord when they were unveiled.
With these in mind, as well as the fact that reports have pointed at the Hummer EV only being 18 months into its development cycle, it does seem to be a stretch to argue that the Hummer EV is farther along in its production than its competitors. The F-150 Electric, a truck that Ford notes will be produced in a few years, already has a prototype that is capable of pulling a train car that weighs 1 million pounds. The Rivian R1T, a truck that has spent years in development, recently completed an eight-day rally over 2,000 kms. That’s something that the Hummer EV seems to be capable of doing only in CGI, at least for now.
GM intends to start delivering the Hummer EV in Fall 2021. Rivian, for its part, is aiming to start deliveries of its very-much-production-ready R1T by mid-2021. The Tesla Cybertruck is also poised to begin deliveries by the end of next year.
Watch Sean Mitchell’s take on the Hummer EV’s unveiling in the video below.
Tesla has made two big interior changes to several Model Y vehicles in its lineup, and the changes come just as the new model year begins production.
Last year, Tesla launched the Model Y Standard, which separated the previous models into the “Premium” category. The Standard vehicles lack several features, including more premium interior materials, acoustic-lined glass, and storage.
@teslarati There are some BIG differences between the Tesla Model Y Standard and Tesla Model Y Premium #tesla #teslamodely ♬ Sia – Xeptemper
The Model Y “Premium” trims are now getting several new upgrades, which come after the company launched a seven-seat configuration of the vehicle last night in the North American market for an upcharge of $2,500.
The new Model Y seven-seat configuration did not come with just an additional row of seating; it also came with a slew of other goodies that now come standard and were previously only available on the Model Y Performance, which was launched late last year.
All Black Headliner
The new Tesla Model Y Premium trims will now come standard with a black headliner, something that many owners have been requesting for some time.
The previous grey headliner and trim within the vehicle is now gone; it will be all black on all of the Premium trims from here on out, a welcome change:
Credit: Tesla
Larger and Higher Resolution Center Touchscreen
The center touchscreen in the new Model Y Premium configuration is now larger and has a higher resolution than the previous version.
In last year’s Model Y configurations (apart from the Performance), the center touchscreen was 15.4″. Now, Tesla has decided to go with the 16″ version across all Premium trims, which is a nice step up. It was nice to see this in the Performance, but it is really great to see Tesla include this in the Model Y’s more Premium trim levels.
Tesla Model Y Seven Seater
Tesla launched the latest iteration of the seven-seater for the Model Y on Monday night. Traditionally, the Model Y seats five passengers in total, but there were calls for a more spacious version several years ago.
Tesla released it, but it was extremely tight in the back, basically reserving those back seats for only small people or children.
Credit: Tesla
The new configuration looks to be slightly more spacious in the third row, but not as much space as most would require or want. Instead,
Elon Musk
Lufthansa Group to equip Starlink on its 850-aircraft fleet
Under the collaboration, Lufthansa Group will install Starlink technology on both its existing fleet and all newly delivered aircraft, as noted by the group in a press release.
Lufthansa Group has announced a partnership with Starlink that will bring high-speed internet connectivity to every aircraft across all its carriers.
This means that aircraft across the group’s brands, from Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian Airlines to Brussels Airlines, would be able to enjoy high-speed internet access using the industry-leading satellite internet solution.
Starlink in-flight internet
Under the collaboration, Lufthansa Group will install Starlink technology on both its existing fleet and all newly delivered aircraft, as noted by the group in a press release.
Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellites are expected to provide significantly higher bandwidth and lower latency than traditional in-flight Wi-Fi, which should enable streaming, online work, and other data-intensive applications for passengers during flights.
Starlink-powered internet is expected to be available on the first commercial flights as early as the second half of 2026. The rollout will continue through the decade, with the entire Lufthansa Group fleet scheduled to be fully equipped with Starlink by 2029. Once complete, no other European airline group will operate more Starlink-connected aircraft.
Free high-speed access
As part of the initiative, Lufthansa Group will offer the new high-speed internet free of charge to all status customers and Travel ID users, regardless of cabin class. Chief Commercial Officer Dieter Vranckx shared his expectations for the program.
“In our anniversary year, in which we are celebrating Lufthansa’s 100th birthday, we have decided to introduce a new high-speed internet solution from Starlink for all our airlines. The Lufthansa Group is taking the next step and setting an essential milestone for the premium travel experience of our customers.
“Connectivity on board plays an important role today, and with Starlink, we are not only investing in the best product on the market, but also in the satisfaction of our passengers,” Vranckx said.
Elon Musk
Tesla locks in Elon Musk’s top problem solver as it enters its most ambitious era
The generous equity award was disclosed by the electric vehicle maker in a recent regulatory filing.
Tesla has granted Senior Vice President of Automotive Tom Zhu more than 520,000 stock options, tying a significant portion of his compensation to the company’s long-term performance.
The generous equity award was disclosed by the electric vehicle maker in a recent regulatory filing.
Tesla secures top talent
According to a Form 4 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Tom Zhu received 520,021 stock options with an exercise price of $435.80 per share. Since the award will not fully vest until March 5, 2031, Zhu must remain at Tesla for more than five years to realize the award’s full benefit.
Considering that Tesla shares are currently trading at around the $445 to $450 per share level, Zhu will really only see gains in his equity award if Tesla’s stock price sees a notable rise over the years, as noted in a Sina Finance report.
Still, even at today’s prices, Zhu’s stock award is already worth over $230 million. If Tesla reaches the market cap targets set forth in Elon Musk’s 2025 CEO Performance Award, Zhu would become a billionaire from this equity award alone.
Tesla’s problem solver
Zhu joined Tesla in April 2014 and initially led the company’s Supercharger rollout in China. Later that year, he assumed the leadership of Tesla’s China business, where he played a central role in Tesla’s localization efforts, including expanding retail and service networks, and later, overseeing the development of Gigafactory Shanghai.
Zhu’s efforts helped transform China into one of Tesla’s most important markets and production hubs. In 2023, Tesla promoted Zhu to Senior Vice President of Automotive, placing him among the company’s core global executives and expanding his influence beyond China. He has since garnered a reputation as the company’s problem solver, being tapped by Elon Musk to help ramp Giga Texas’s vehicle production.
With this in mind, Tesla’s recent filing seems to suggest that the company is locking in its top talent as it enters its newest, most ambitious era to date. As could be seen in the targets of Elon Musk’s 2025 pay package, Tesla is now aiming to be the world’s largest company by market cap, and it is aiming to achieve production levels that are unheard of. Zhu’s talents would definitely be of use in this stage of the company’s growth.
Tesla makes two big interior changes to several Model Y vehicles
Lufthansa Group to equip Starlink on its 850-aircraft fleet
