A huge wave of battery-electric trucks and SUVs is about to be unleashed and the 2022 GMC Hummer EV truck is one of the most anticipated of the bunch. With the $112,595 First Editions set to be delivered to buyers this fall, the automaker is currently conducting final testing at one of the best and most grueling off-road playgrounds on the planet: Moab, Utah.
The beautiful but tough desert landscape is where automakers put their latest off-roaders to the test, but this time things are somewhat different. How does an all-electric "supertruck" handle things? Amazingly well. The team tested crucial systems like the adaptive ar suspension, Extract Mode, Terrain Mode, rear steering, CrabWalk, and One-Pedal Driving control.
"One-Pedal Driving offers a great feeling of control by optimizing the regenerative braking, friction braking and drive motor torque all through the accelerator pedal," said Aaron Pfau, the Hummer's lead development engineer. "Drivers will quickly realize the benefits once they try it off-road."
Developed specifically for EVs, the system works by enabling the driver to accelerate and decelerate by using just the accelerator pedal. This is especially useful when engaged in Terrain Mode because the same one-pedal control is modified with special calibrations for speed-limited off-road driving. This allows drivers to better handle steep grades, rock crawling, and challenging terrain in general without having to negotiate between the gas and brake pedals. Extract Mode is ideal when encountering large obstacles because it lifts the vehicle's suspension by 5.8 inches for a maximum ground clearance of 15.9 inches. In Terrain Mode, it's 11.9 inches.
Extract Mode will be especially useful in hairy situations thanks to a maximum water fording depth of 32 inches, max approach and departure angles of 49.7 inches and 38.4 inches, respectively, and a 32.2-inch breakover angle. Can the upcoming Tesla Cybertruck and/or Rivian R1T and R1S match any of this? We'll find out soon.
Aside from Tesla and Rivian, legacy automakers GM and Ford aren't holding back. The latter will reveal the 2022 F-150 Lightning EV next week and, in the near future, an all-electric Silverado will arrive. It will use the same Ultium batteries and architecture as the Hummer. Following the launch of the Hummer EV truck, an SUV variant will arrive in early 2023.