The Takeaway: GMC’s Hummer EV is a bonkers machine that can help convert electric vehicle nay-sayers into believers. Does it need to exist? Probably not. However, hop behind the wheel of this 9,063-pound beast that can catapult itself to 60 mph in 3 seconds, and you can’t help but feel like a kid again. GMC didn’t build the Hummer EV to go farther or faster than its competitors (the Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning). It built it to showcase what an electric truck can be.
→ The four-wheel steering system—that allows the rear wheels to turn in the opposite direction of the front wheels—gave the truck a surprisingly tight turning radius.
→ The truck’s belt line is surprisingly low, which gave me confidence while navigating the tight urban streets of Easton, Pennsylvania.
→ The crab-walk function wasn’t very practical but will definitely impress your friends.
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Specs:
- Base price: $86,645 ($110,295 for Edition 1)
- Motor: Three-motor Ultium Drive System
- Horsepower: 1,000 hp
- Torque: 11,500 lb-ft
- Battery pack: 212.7 kWh
- Range: 329 miles (GM Estimate)
- Towing: 7,500 lb
- Payload: 1,300 lb
- Curb weight: 9,063 lb
- Drivetrain: All-wheel drive
What You Should Know
We’ve driven plenty of electric vehicles here at Popular Mechanics, and most of them are great. However, while some EVs present solid numbers on paper, there are more than a few that are devoid of any emotion or excitement from behind the wheel—think of dull steering, a lazy accelerator pedal, and just a frustratingly anemic experience. The Hummer EV suffers from none of these; it’s just as crazy to drive as the numbers lead you to believe. Case in point, a quick hit of the “Watts To Freedom” mode, which allows the vehicle to sprint to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds, makes the Hummer one of the heaviest but also fastest EVs we’ve ever driven. Thankfully, this ridiculousness remains apparent in the design department.
Most of the latest EVs feature the same bulbous silhouette, with designers forced into a form-follows-function ethos—all in the name of maximizing aerodynamic efficiency. However, true to its gas-guzzling roots, this is an all-electric slab of Hummer. It’s titanic in every dimension.
GMC still managed to extract 329 miles of range. Instead of minimizing frontal area and maximizing efficiency, it seems that the automaker squeezed in the biggest battery pack it could find to make up for the vehicle’s aerodynamic shortcomings. In fact, the 212.7-kWh battery pack is the biggest ever fit to a production car. (For reference, there’s a 128.9-kWh pack in Rivian’s R1T and a 131.0-kWh unit in Ford’s F-150 Lightning.) The Hummer’s battery alone weighs 2,923 pounds—as much as a brand-new Honda Civic.
What It’s Like To Drive
One look at the Hummer EV and you’ll probably think that it feels like a monster truck on the road. And you’d be mostly wrong. The 135.6-inch wheelbase (that’s 10 inches shorter than the F-150 Lightning’s) actually makes it pretty nimble around the tight city streets near our offices in Easton, Pennsylvania. Its comparatively petite stature is complemented by passive rear-wheel steering to improve turning radius at low speeds; the system allows the rear-wheels to turn in the opposite direction of the front tires.
Despite being the biggest, heaviest, and tallest truck we’ve ever tested, the Hummer EV has acceleration that simply boggles the mind. There’s no reason for a vehicle that weighs nearly 5 tons to catapult itself to 60 mph in just over three seconds. Engaging its “Watts To Freedom” launch mode will actually drain 20 percent of the battery. Once you put your foot down, the acceleration feels endless. All the while, you’re well aware of the vehicle’s mass—especially given its lackluster stopping power.
The Hummer features 14-inch brake rotors at all four corners (we couldn’t find any info on the calipers), which are simply not as good as they need to be for such a massive vehicle. This isn’t helped by its Goodyear mud-terrain tires, which provide a big contact patch but are tailor-made for off-road traction. Tipping this behemoth into a corner is equally disconcerting, as it feels closer to powder skiing than driving. But we’re not talking about a performance vehicle here. Once you realize the limitations of driving the Hummer on the road, it’s absolutely hilarious to drive within its limits.
Cool Party Tricks
For better or for worse, EVs often have fun tricks and easter eggs up their sleeve for the driver to impress their friends. However, nothing tops the Hummer’s Crab Walk feature. Plus, it has a multifunction tailgate and removable roof panels, too.
Crab Walk
Advertisements have plugged the vehicle’s Crab Walk function—allowing all four wheels to turn in the same direction—ever since its 2020 debut. After messing around with it, I have to say that it’s surreal. The process to engage involves throwing it into park, straightening out the steering wheel, and holding down the four-wheel-steer button until the crab animation comes up on the infotainment screen. Does it have any practical application? Not really. Does it make you giggle like a child when you use it? Absolutely. I must have spent a solid 20 minutes crabbing my way around a parking lot.
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MultiPro Tailgate
Multifunction tailgates have become standard practice for any automaker pumping out a truck nowadays. It doesn’t matter if it runs on gasoline or electricity—modern pickups need a back gate that can also do 18 other things besides open and shut. The Hummer is no exception, with its MultiPro tailgate that includes a built-in Kicker Audio sound system. Sure, it only includes a pair of four-inch speakers cranking 100 watts, so obviously the sound quality wasn’t great. But befitting the over-the-top nature of Hummer, it’s a waterproof stereo in the tailgate.
Removable Roof Panels
Much like the Ford Bronco (and other off-roaders like it), the Hummer has a T-top of sorts with removable panels. All four of its clear roof sections are easy to remove by disengaging the set of levers that hold each of them into place. Once they’re off, you can store them underneath the frunk for easy access. Here in eastern Pennsylvania, we did freeze a little bit with the roof panels off but can confirm that it completely changed the driving experience; there’s something about motoring through the woods with the wind in your hair that can’t be topped.
The Verdict
It pains me to admit there are a few Hummer EV issues that need to be addressed. Along with the lackluster brakes, the infotainment system is difficult to use and often wasn’t all that responsive. That’s quite surprising, given the fact that GMC partnered with Epic Games (the same studio that created the ever-popular Fortnite) to create the graphics for the user interface. And though we didn’t experience them, there are larger problems, like the one Youtuber The Fast Lane Truck experienced when they were left stranded in the middle of the road with the Hummer EV stuck in park. Thankfully, they found a manual pull that allowed them to open the hood and disconnect the auxiliary battery to reset the vehicle.
These are all issues that shouldn’t be happening given the vehicle’s six-figure asking price. Thankfully, most of them are teething problems that shouldn’t be all that difficult to fix. Once everything is dialed in, it’s clear that the Hummer EV will be one hell of a super truck that can get even the most reluctant excited about all-electric vehicles.
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Matt Crisara is a native Austinite who has an unbridled passion for cars and motorsports, both foreign and domestic, and as the Autos Editor for Popular Mechanics, he writes the majority of automotive coverage across digital and print. He was previously a contributing writer for Motor1 following internships at Circuit Of The Americas F1 Track and Speed City, an Austin radio broadcaster focused on the world of motor racing. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona School of Journalism, where he raced mountain bikes with the University Club Team. When he isn’t working, he enjoys sim-racing, FPV drones, and the great outdoors.