The GMC Sierra EV Denali has been spotted in the wild for the first time, after GMC and Buick global VP Duncan Aldred shared some photos of the electric truck out for a test drive — or, more accurately going by the images, a test valet parking — somewhere in Michigan.
The GMC executive posted the pictures to his LinkedIn page, writing, "The holiday lights shine bright.. the spectacular, first-ever GMC Sierra ev captured on test in Michigan."
The Sierra EV Denali is GMC's second fully electric truck, after the GMC Hummer EV Pickup. It is currently scheduled to launch in the summer of 2024, joining fully electric pickups such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and the upcoming Ram 1500 REV.
The Sierra EV Denali will feature a nearly 400-mile range, 754 horsepower, and max trailering of up to 9,500 pounds. It is expected to start at $107,000, although with increased competition in the EV pickup truck space and other companies lowering prices on their models recently, it is possible that number may drop.
Ford, for example, recently slashed prices for the F-150 Lightning by $10,000, to $50,000 for the cheapest model and just over $90,000 for the most expensive.
The shift toward enormous, expensive EVs and away from more compact, affordable EVs is one that GMC has been signaling since it announced that it would no longer be producing the U.S. market's most affordable EV, the Chevy Bolt. The company did, however, later announce that it would be bringing the Bolt back at a later date.
The continued industry focus on huge cars — even fully electric ones — does not bode especially well for our planet. Pickup trucks and SUVs produce more particle pollution from their tires and are also significantly more dangerous to children, pedestrians, and cyclists.
The Sierra EV Denali is "built to tower above everything you thought an electric truck could be," according to GMC.
"Looks great, GM would have a winner on its hands if this thing wasn't 100k. Target 50-70 and it would be good," wrote one Electrek commenter.
"Stop producing over sized, overpriced trucks and SUVs! Produce an affordable car or truck for the masses. So tired of GM," wrote another.
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