Here’s a bit of inside baseball. Practically every major city in the US has access to a press vehicle fleet. Some, like Los Angeles, New York, and Detroit, house the largest in the country, offering media access to everything from a Toyota Prius to a Lamborghini Revuelto. This is where the cars you see covered here on the site or in dR’s magazine come from.
Last week, as I chatted with a GM PR representative about a future GMC Sierra EV story, he informed me that the truck wasn’t currently in the local Los Angeles fleet. Instead, GM deployed it to support the American Red Cross and its efforts to fight the various fires across Southern California. While there was no formal announcement of these efforts, today, the American carmaker detailed the measures it plans to take to aid LA’s recovery.
With so much infrastructure destroyed across Pacific Palisades and Altadena, the two neighborhoods most affected by the fires, GM’s efforts began with the deployment of mobile charging stations. These are positioned across the LA metro area and are intended to help homeowners who have lost their property and access to their home chargers. The chargers will ensure their mobility as the area rebuilds. As of writing, the stations will be in place through April.
GM sent out three GM Hydrotec units capable of DC fast charging two EVs simultaneously, supported by three Yoshi Mobility charting trailers with the same capabilities. Lastly, one InCharge Energy mobile station joins the carmaker’s efforts, offering five further DC fast chargers.
Alongside the vehicles sent to support the Red Cross, GM is donating directly to these affected neighborhoods, focusing on rebuilding local education systems. An employee-giving campaign will see further funds collected for the Red Cross and California Fire Foundation.
GM offers its customers the ability to defer payments while covering collision repair deductibles for vehicles damaged in the fires. The automaker is also expediting the shipment of parts to the LA area to ensure that repairs can be done quickly. If a customer’s vehicle is damaged or destroyed by the fires, GM will provide direct assistance towards purchasing or leasing a new vehicle to replace it.
Lastly, OnStar, a system that typically requires a subscription, has been enabled free of charge for owners in the area. This way, they can receive up-to-date information about the fires, routing guidance, and quick access to emergency services.
LA’s recovery will undoubtedly take time. As a resident, it’s been genuinely shocking to see the effects of such widespread disaster befall this city in such a short timeframe. Still, it’s great to see automakers respond quickly, taking their available resources and joining the recovery efforts.