I Was Offered A Free Battery Swap And $250 Gift Card For My Perfect 2024 GMC Sierra EV Edition 1, GM's Battery Division Won't Explain Why They Need To Study A Perfectly Working Truck

The 2024 GMC Sierra EV Edition 1 is not a tentative step into the electric future; it’s a monster truck that just happens to run on electricity. But under all that brawn and brilliance, a quieter story is unfolding. In Facebook groups, modern-day digital campfires, owners are whispering about a strange new trend: GM is requesting battery swaps in low-mileage trucks that aren’t just running fine, they’re running perfectly.

One such owner, Leandro Nesi, took to Facebook’s GMC Sierra EV Group to share his confusion after receiving a call from GM’s battery division:

“I just finally got the call from GM battery division, they offered me a $250 gift card, free rental, and a new battery, for the famous battery ‘study.’ I own a 2024 Edition 1, since October 2024, currently at 10,000 miles. My truck is awesome, I have zero issues, no rattles, no nothing, as a fact, I never went back to the dealer since I bought it. In my head, it doesn't add up, they need so many batteries for study, it should be something else.... If I say no to the 'STUDY', I'm afraid that my actual battery could have a manufacturer defect, which they are keeping us from knowing, and they are replacing them quietly. If I say yes and they replace the battery, I could potentially start having issues because they do not install it properly, or they put a non-new battery............. I tried to negotiate the $250 card in exchange for more warranty, but it's like you are talking with a recording..... Honestly, I don't know what to do.”

It’s a rare thing when a truck is so well-built that the worst problem is an unsolicited offer to replace its heart. But Leandro’s post wasn’t a lone voice in the void. In the comments and replies, other Sierra EV owners shared similar stories or warnings. Fred Gerstler recounted how his truck failed to charge just four days after purchase, leading to a battery replacement under warranty. “They installed it in a day,” he noted. “Lots of machine screws hold it up and a few heavy-duty connectors.” Simple on paper, sure. But in practice, GM is now pulling batteries from trucks like Leandro’s that have no faults at all. This isn’t just a repair, it’s preemptive surgery, and the patient isn't even sick.

GMC Sierra EV Sales Update: 1,249 Units Sold vs. Hummer & Silverado EVs

• Sold 1,249 Sierra EV units in the first quarter, reflecting a modest share in GM’s EV portfolio 
• Through May, cumulative Sierra EV sales hovered around 1,249 but still trailed behind GM’s Hummer EV (~3,479) and Silverado EV (~2,383) 
• GM reported over 62,000 EVs sold in the U.S. through May, showing strong growth, but the Sierra EV remains a relatively low-volume player

Some believe this is no “study” at all. Commenter Keenan Elias cut to the chase: “It’s not a study. It’s a recall.” The term “recall” carries legal and regulatory weight, and GM hasn’t issued anything public to support that theory. 

Still, the optics are hard to ignore. Why else spend thousands of dollars retrieving functional battery packs from loyal early adopters? Especially when those adopters, like Leandro, are being handed a $250 gift card, a rental, and... no explanation. In the absence of answers, owners are forced to play a high-stakes guessing game. 

Should You Accept GM’s Sierra EV Battery Swap? 

Accept the swap and risk future complications, or decline and live with the paranoia that maybe, just maybe, their battery has a defect GM knows about but won’t discuss. Andy Rooh warned that warranty work can backfire: “My last truck (2022 Sierra) had mottling in the paint… I had it repainted under warranty and ended up with more issues than when I started.” The lesson? Sometimes the “fix” creates more headaches than the original problem. That kind of owner wisdom doesn’t show up in service bulletins; it lives in threads, DMs, and side conversations.

2024 Sierra EV Ultium Battery Specs: 478 EPA Miles, 350 kW Fast‑Charge & 760 hp

• Dual-layer Ultium battery supports up to ~478 EPA-estimated miles and even 507 miles in real-world tests on the Denali Max Range trim 
• Employs an 800 V dual-layer system capable of up to 350 kW DC fast-charging, adding ~100 miles of range in just 10 minutes 
• Beyond Max and Extended Range, a new Standard Range (~120 kWh) pack is slated to join the lineup for 2026 
• Combined dual motors produce ~760 hp and 785 lb-ft torque, enabling brisk acceleration of under 4.5 seconds from 0–60 mph

And yet, not everyone is suspicious. Gerstler’s account of his battery swap was uneventful, even positive. “You have a 10-year warranty on your battery,” he reminded the group. And that’s true: the Sierra EV’s battery is backed by one of the most robust warranties in the business. But the question remains, why is GM so eager to study a component that hasn’t failed? It’s not just one or two trucks. Owners across the country, some with as little as 4,000 miles, are being tapped for this mysterious program.

GM’s silence hasn’t helped. No recall notices. No service bulletins. Just hushed calls, vague offers, and a lot of corporate doublespeak. Leandro’s attempt to barter a longer warranty in place of the gift card met the stonewalling of a call center script. 

What do you think GMC is trying to study? Let us know in the comments below. 

Image Sources: GMC Media Center

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.