President Joe Biden test drove the all-new electric Hummer during his visit to a General Motors (GM) factory in Michigan on Wednesday, promoting the future of electric vehicles in the United States.
“In the auto industry, Detroit is leading the world in electric vehicles,” Biden boasted in his speech after touring the factory, recently retooled to produce electric vehicles.
The president praised Barra for investing in the Detroit factory, ignoring GM’s announcement in April they would invest $1 billion into their factories in Mexico to produce electric vehicles.
Biden also praised Barra for announcing that by 2035, General Motors vehicles would be 100 percent electric, and end production of diesel and gasoline powered engines.
“You led — and it matters — in drastically improving the climate by reducing hundreds of millions of barrels of oil that will not be used when we’re all electric,” he said.
The president drove the electric Hummer with Barra in the passenger seat, at one point revving the engine and squealing the tires.
“This sucker is something else,” Biden said after he pulled up to the group of reporters who watched him drive the new electric vehicle.
The 2022 Edition 1 model of the electric Hummer pickup goes on sale this fall with a price tag of $112,595.
“He’s a very good driver,” Barra said after the test drive.
Biden said he did not know how fast he got the vehicle up to, claiming he did not have time to look at the speedometer.
“This is three times as heavy as my Corvette and three times as fast,” he said.
Cheaper models of the electric vehicle will be put on the market next year, and the cheapest version is still nearly $80,000.
“It’s good to be back in Detroit. And that Hummer is one hell of a vehicle,” Biden said during his remarks. “Zero to 60 in three seconds. Whoa!”
The president celebrated the passage of his $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that includes funding for electric vehicle charging stations.
“Look, we’re going to make sure that the jobs of the future end up here in Michigan, not halfway around the world,” he said. “You know, that means that here in Detroit you’re going to set a new pace for electric vehicles. This is not hyperbole; this is a fact.”