DETROIT _ General Motors is bringing back the name Hummer, but not the whole brand.
The automaker will build an all-electric pickup dubbed Hummer to be sold within the GMC brand in early 2022, according to a person familiar with GM's product plan. The story was first reported in the Wall Street Journal.
NBA superstar LeBron James will promote Hummer's return, said the person, who wasn't authorized to speak about the program. GM will also air a commercial during the Super Bowl next month.
GM declined to comment on the report.
As the Detroit Free Press reported in October, GM planned to build a new group of premium electric pickup trucks and other vehicles such as SUVs at its Detroit-Hamtramck plant beginning in late 2021.
At that time, people familiar with the program told the Free Press that GM was considering reviving the long-gone Hummer brand on some of those vehicles.
In its recent contract agreement with the UAW, GM said it would build an electric pickup and a variety of body styles. The electric truck program, dubbed BT1, is part of a proposed $3 billion investment in the Detroit-Hamtramck plant. GM has made a broad $7.7 billion investment in GM's U.S. plants over the next four years, the proposed labor deal said..
GM phased out the Hummer name in 2010 after GM emerged from bankruptcy and needed to shed brands. While Hummer was popular, it was also controversial due to its gas-guzzling lineup of SUVs.
The new Hummer model will likely be a rugged, Jeep-like pickup truck for off-road enthusiasts, the person familiar with the new program said.
It will be a low-volume vehicle. It will also be the first of many large, all-electric SUVs and pickups GM will roll out over the upcoming years.
The person familiar with GM's plans said there are no plans to make Hummer as a stand-alone brand.
