From environmental scourge to the mammoth green machine in just over a decade, the reinvention of Hummer is worthy of a Hollywood film treatment. Exchanging its abysmal 10 MPG for over 300 miles of zero-emissions driving, the new Hummer EV Pickup pushes the limits of electric motoring.
2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup
- 3 motor, Performance Four-Wheel Drive System
- 212 kWh battery
- 5.9-Inches Of Body Lift In Extract Mode
- Model: Hummer EV Pickup Edition 1
- Engine:: 3 Electric Motors
- Power Output: 1000 HP
- Torque: 11,500 LB-FT
- Range: 329 Miles
- Transmission: Automatic
- Driveline: Four-Wheel Drive
- MSRP: $110,295
- MSRP (As Tested): $110,295
- Absurd Acceleration
- Four-Wheel Steering
- Super Cruise Hands-Free Highway Driving
- Garage-Busting Size
- Costly Fill-Ups
- Wind Noise
Does The Electric Hummer Have Torque?
A garden variety electric car uses a battery with an energy capacity of between 60-80 kWh, weighing around 1,000 pounds. But when designing a 1,000-horsepower pickup truck, a weeny battery like that isn’t going to do. So, the Hummer EV’s energy source needs to be considerably larger – over 200 kWh feeding three electric motors that can generate as much as 11,500 pound-feet of torque. GM’s homegrown Ultium battery employed here weighs more than some cars.
So, would you believe that this is one of the quickest vehicles I’ve ever tested? There’s even an acceleration mode, cleverly called Watts to Freedom, that’ll scare the pants off of your passengers and test your g-force limits.
Its width is a throwback to the original H1, it’s longer than an Electrify America parking space, and with the air springs fully inflated you’ll have to get on your tiptoes to peek over the bed walls. There are an amazing 16 inches of ground clearance in what is called Extract Mode. Everything about the Hummer is extreme, just as it always was.
Huge Ultium Battery Is Expensive To Charge
With approximately 350 miles of range, the Hummer has one of the most generous driving distances in the EV segment. But akin to a GMC Sierra with an oversized gas tank, filling this Hummer’s battery is going to drain some green. Fast charging through its 800-volt architecture is impressively quick.
When plugged into a 350 kW Hyper Fast charger and maxing out at a 229-kW charge rate, the Hummer’s been adding back as much as 350 miles of range per hour. But to bypass the typical 80% fast-charge limit and get the battery completely full can take two hours or more. And the bill isn’t cheap; it cost me $60 to fast-charge from 25 to 80 percent, equating to about a $90 fill-up.
And my level 2 home charger, which normally replenishes an EV’s battery to 100 percent overnight, leaves the Hummer far short of the finish line but obviously costs a fraction of the price of public fast charging. From some perspective, filling the gas tank of an old Hummer H2 costs $110 and returns approximately the same driving range.
So, unlike the modus operandi of most EV purchases, the potential fuel savings of a Hummer EV Pickup are more nebulous. Also, the charge port is located at the left rear meaning the Hummer often needs to be backed into spaces, which with the many cameras isn’t difficult to do, but it’s not ideal. And yes; it barely fits in my garage with an inch or two to spare.
GMC Could Command Even More
This early-build Hummer is a long-since sold-out Edition 1 with an MSRP of $110,295. It’s stocked like an Escalade with high-tech luxury features commensurate with its price. And to be honest, the Hummer is so extraordinary the sticker seems curiously low.
With dual motors at the rear, there’s 4-wheel steering making the Hummer shockingly nimble and easy to manage in a parking lot, there’s a new-for-GM Google-powered infotainment system, a plethora of off-road driving modes, exciting graphics and animations, and the highest level of Super Cruise hands-free highway driving.
Everything is power operated including the hood for the front trunk, the tonneau cover, and the tailgate, the latter also featuring GMC’s multitude of configurations and Kicker Bluetooth tailgating speakers (sorry, they don’t sound very good.)
Clever Built In
The box is short but deep with a spray-on bedliner, electrical outlet, and LED lighting, capable of handling 1,300 pounds of payload. The entire rear glass also powers down for carrying extra-long items. You might expect greater than 7,500 pounds of towing capacity – the Sierra 1500’s lowest-rated configuration can manage 8,600 pounds
But remember; the Hummer weighs almost twice as much, so it’s limited in what it can pull. I say “almost” because GMC still isn’t sharing the Hummer’s exact specifications about certain weights and capacities. And remember, when towing it’s best to leave room in the battery for brake energy recuperation so keep it below an 80 percent charge.
Squinty Windshield, Wind Noise
But the Hummer’s more subjective matters are even more compelling though not always perfect. The combination of Jet Black and Light Grey mixed materials throughout the cabin – also known as Lunar Horizon – is fanciful and attractive, there are bronze-colored Edition 1 trim bits on the dash and on the seats, a glass roof with four removable Sky Panels that can stow in bags kept in the front trunk, and the design is uncluttered with only the gear shift and drive control knob on the center console. A bank of switches below the large touchscreen controls a variety of functions including the locking differentials.
The displays are vibrant with flashy animations as you cycle through the various drive modes and distinctive topographical map designs cover the grilles of the 14-speaker Bose surround sound system. But not all touchpoints feel of the highest quality and the intrusion of wind noise around the center upper windshield area is alarmingly bad…perhaps an early build issue? I’d also like to see a head-up display here and a 360-degree camera activation button located off of the big screen. And lastly, the EV-specific electronics are lacking depth; I’d love to see more power delivery meters and range depictions.
Watts To Freedom
The drive is accompanied by an Electric Vehicle Sound enhancer though it’s quickly muted by the aforementioned wind noise and some tire roar. The 18-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory mud tires are wide, knobby, and specifically tuned for electric vehicles.
They don’t hamper on-road ride quality either and though they’re not rated for severe snow duty, they seem to be doing just fine here in the heart of winter. Normal, Off-Road, and Terrain comprise the main drive modes replete with three levels of body lift adding nearly six inches of ground clearance between Standard and Extract Mode.
All of this is controlled via a knob on the center console which also houses the much talked about Crab Walk feature – a slow, diagonal movement intended for tricky off-road situations in which the rear wheels turn dramatically outward. But trust me; it sounds cooler than it really is. The other popular talking point is more headline-worthy and perhaps the most impressive. Called Watts to Freedom, it’s a launch control feature that adds big-time theater to the entire process with special screens, sounds, and a vibrating driver’s seat.
As the Hummer’s systems prepare for takeoff the driver’s display and safety alert seat communicate the various steps up until its reads “floor it” at which point it’s like being on Disney’s Test Track but faster. With a squeal of the tires, 0-to-60 MPH takes only three seconds; enough to cause vertigo for unsuspecting passengers, as I’ve found out. The Hummer’s motors are always ready to make mincemeat of just about any sports car you’re likely to encounter.
Off-Road Tough Hummer
Unlike a normal truck, this EV platform feels a little stiff, but Continuous Damping Control reads the road every two milliseconds to make astute suspension adjustments so the ride quality is always plush. And though it takes some getting used to, the one-pedal drive here is aggressive yet precise; I really like it. Is the truck’s massive weight palpable in the turns?
Yeah, a little. It doesn’t whip around the backroads without fighting you some but despite its blistering acceleration, it’s not a sport truck – it’s an off-road go-getter that handles its everyday chores with aplomb. With ample rear seat room for three adults including in-seat cubbies and underfloor storage for the charging cable, the Hummer’s packaging is as thoughtful as it is clever.
Good Luck Getting A Hummer EV
But even those who placed orders for one when the bank opened in 2020 may not see their own Hummer until 2025. Reservations are currently closed. Future trims will offer less capability at a lower price point but when they’ll actually arrive is anyone’s guess while the new Hummer SUV is also expected this year. If you can get one, the EV Pickup is an exceptional piece of engineering and an outrageous, most unexpected path back for the Hummer brand.