Hummer EV Pickup

Make
GMC
Segment
Sports Car

The GMC Hummer EV truck (and upcoming SUV) is breaking new ground for General Motors. It's the first of many fully electric vehicles to utilize the Ultium architecture and battery technology. In many ways, the Hummer EV served as a testbed for designers and engineers, with lessons learned being applied to the just-revealed Chevy Silverado EV and upcoming GMC Sierra EV. The Hummer EV's 11,500 lb-ft of torque is almost unheard of and, not surprisingly, revealed itself to be somewhat problematic during testing.

Speaking with The Drive, Hummer EV chief engineer Al Oppenheiser said that during prototype testing he discovered it was possible to do wheelies, a potentially dangerous thing he didn't want owners doing.

"In the early days when we were just trying to balance the front and rear torque, I got the front end to lift," he explained. "We had to back off the torque on the front end."

So technically, yes, the Hummer EV can do wheelies but Oppenheiser and his team re-tuned things for obvious "functional safety reasons." The production-spec truck's Watts to Freedom (WTF) mode is a launch control system designed to propel the 9,000-pound or so vehicle from 0-60 mph in only 3 seconds (the SUV variant does it in 3.5 seconds). When engaged, the system spins all four 35-inch tires. The front ones, as Oppenheiser admitted, required some readjustment. Though it would have been immense fun to do wheelies in GMC's latest creation (President Biden would agree), common sense prevailed.

Theoretically, Oppenheiser acknowledged, it could still be possible to do so but he didn't offer up any hints. Chances are, it would require some significant retuning beyond the reach of most owners. The Hummer EV's technology is simply too new and, compared to ICE-powered off-roaders, far too complex. There is, however, the aftermarket industry. It's certainly possible tuning firms will take a crack at exploiting the truck's hidden talents.

Deliveries of the 2022 Hummer EV Edition 1 are currently underway, each priced at $112,595 with an EPA-rated 329-mile range. All Edition 1 trucks are finished in Interstellar White over a Lunar Horizon interior, and come standard with skid rails, a height-adjustable suspension, and CrabWalk.