The brand, called BrightDrop, will sell a commercial van called the EV600 and an electric pallet to help with deliveries. It initially will operate in the United States and Canada with a new BrightDrop dealer network. GM declined to provide details about the dealer network.

The automaker's marketing strategy will be centered on EVs, and the GM logo will be modernized with a sky-blue hue and lowercase letters.

The 2022 Equinox will launch this summer, followed by the 2022 Traverse in the third quarter.

Only Cadillac models are now equipped with the driver-assist technology, but Super Cruise will be available on 22 nameplates by 2023, GM says.

On the propulsion side, GM will make additional investments to develop batteries and electric motors, said Dane Parker, GM's chief sustainability officer.

The Hummer SUV and Chevy pickup are expected to be built starting in 2023 or 2024, but those schedules likely will be accelerated. 

GM said it will move up the scheduled launches of some EVs and introduce at least 30 EVs globally by mid-decade, including 20 in North America.

Many of the positions can be remote and are related to GM's proprietary Ultium batteries and EV development. The automaker will hire 100 in Canada, where they will focus on driver-assistance systems.

The automaker said sales in the United States and China are recovering faster than expected, and its earnings rose significantly even though revenue was flat from a year ago.

The automaker unveiled the Hummer pickup just 18 months after development work began, and GM says that timetable will become the standard for future EVs.

The fully loaded version of the brand's first electric vehicle will come with a slew of off-roading technology. Production is scheduled to start in late 2021.

Corvette inventory already is extremely limited because most of the cars are preordered before they arrive at dealerships, GM said.

GM's Ultium-powered vehicles will feature a wireless management system, allowing the automaker to get the batteries to market faster, incorporate new technology quickly and easily reuse the battery later.

Most of GM's Canadian and U.S. salaried workers are not expected to return to the office until mid-2021.

GM will own 11 per cent of the EV startup. The agreement will commercialize GM's fuel cell technology in high volumes and extends the use of its fuel cell system to the semi-truck market. Shares in both companies surged on the news in early trading.