GMC Hummer EV review: bummer EV

If you want an EV that makes sense, don’t buy the GMC Hummer EV. If you want an affordable EV, don’t buy the GMC Hummer EV. If you want an efficient or luxurious EV, don’t buy the GMC Hummer EV.

Why spend $110,000 on this terrifying behemoth? I spent a week trying to figure it out, and frankly, I’m still wondering.

I might call the Hummer huge, but it’s actually about as long as its closest competitor, the Rivian R1T. However, it’s wide enough to require front running lights and with a squat windshield he needs three wipers. At the wheel, your passengers feel like they’re in another time zone. But hey, at least I have my own personal driving space, right?

The extreme width means the side blind spots are pretty bad, so be prepared to use that surveillance system. You’ll need extra help. A short windshield and long bonnet also impair forward visibility. I love the digital rear camera mirror with its wide-angle lens, but when I backed off the 2-inch dirt-to-concrete rim of my driveway, the rear emergency brake kicked in. You can report it.

But where the Hummer really gets its weight is in its weight. GMC engineers equipped the Hummer with her 205kWh high-capacity battery, giving it 350 miles of range. All that battery power pushes the weight of the truck he over 9,000 pounds and you feel every ounce from the driver’s seat, especially when braking.

When you turn on Watts to Freedom (aka WTF) mode (no, we’re not kidding, that’s what GMC calls it), the three electric motors unleash all 1,000 horsepower to take the truck from dead stop to 60 mph in GMC. Proceed to – estimated 3 seconds. I’m not going to lie — it’s a lot of fun, but it’s scary to quit. With your truck this heavy and fast, the road will be gone in no time, so play carefully.

The Edition 1 tester I got is equipped with GM’s Super Cruise advanced driver assistance system. This hands-free he technology allows the driver to keep an eye on it and take over throttle, braking and steering as long as the Hummer is on the road it fits. The system can independently change to a clear left lane to avoid slow-moving vehicles and can also detect merging traffic and lane exits. But given the mass of this vehicle, I don’t trust the braking. Whenever I need to stop in a sudden traffic jam, I always hit the brakes manually. Maybe you have a little more confidence than I do.

The Hummer’s interior emphasizes practicality over luxury. The dashboard, center console and door panels are free of scraps of leather. There is air conditioning, but I would like a massage function for this 6-digit price. I appreciate the removable roof panels, but they certainly create a lot of wind noise. Maybe it’s just the sound of a two-ton tank moving at highway speeds. Either way, this is one of those loud EVs. Between aggressive off-road tires and a boxy body, don’t expect pure silence.

I love the 13.4 inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The graphics here are pretty cool thanks to the inclusion of Epic Games’ Unreal Engine video game platform.if you want fortnite-High quality graphics, provided by Hummer. GMC also uses some of Google’s built-in software, so Google Maps is included. The slightly smaller digital gauge cluster has several different configurations, and the steering wheel controls make it easy to access different on-screen information.

Being an off-roader at heart, I headed out into the desert to tackle what Johnson Valley, California has to offer. This area of ​​Mojave hosts the infamous King of the Hammer off-road races and is filled with some of the desert’s most dangerous rocks, whoops, hills and sand.

When you’re off the pavement, the first thing you need to do is deflate those 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler tires for a little more traction and a comfortable ride. The airdown feature here is pretty cool. Simply set your desired pressure and the truck will honk when that number is reached. Here we are going from 49psi street pressure down to 34psi. I’m not going to be in the sand much, so it doesn’t need to be too low, but with over 9,000 lbs of curb weight, this baby needs all the support it can get.

All over 1,000 lb-ft of torque goes to the wheels when you switch to off-road mode. GMC claims he has 11,500 lb-ft of torque, which is true, but a bit misleading. Because that’s the number you get after multiplying the motor’s torque by the gear-to-axle ratio. Regardless, this mode allows smoother power transfer and sets the rear wheels out of phase with the front wheels for better maneuverability. The only disappointing thing here is that it also adds fake engine sounds – I love driving my EV off-road. I can hear the tires running on the sand and the birds chirping on the trees. At least give me the option to turn that fake off.

With 13 inches of wheel travel, the Hummer does a pretty good job in the whoops. Thanks to the four-wheel independent air suspension, the ride is also quite smooth.

The rear steering is a game-changer, making the giant truck as agile as the midsize offering, not in a situation where I need a Crab Walk, but I’ll try it anyway. You know… story wise, definitely not because it’s the weirdest feeling to feel a truck moving both forward and sideways at the same time. Helpful.

There are some small dunes here, but I’m traveling alone and frankly don’t want to dig them. I’ve run a 6,000 lb Rivian in soft sand before and it was difficult. Bring a friend with a winch if you want to take your Hummer to the dunes. If the truck is this heavy, no one will pull the rope if it gets stuck. Whether you’re digging or winching, maybe both.

We decided to take the Hummer to Heartbreak Hill instead. This 20-degree incline starts with loose rock at the bottom and transitions to tire-shredding rock embedded in the hillside as you climb toward the top.

This is where Hummer starts to disappoint. Switch to terrain mode for maximum performance on this rocky slope. Lock the rear differential for extra traction and climb hills. Everything is fine until it stops working.

My front tire loses grip trying to buy on a rock and I stop. The front he hasn’t turned the rocker on yet and it has enough torque to go up hills so I don’t think it will be a problem. I press the front rocker button… nothing. Don’t start over. A hungry wolf pricked the front rocker button with ferocity like chewing a cute rabbit, but the rabbit refused to attack. Well, shit.

I turn the throttle slowly and move the steering wheel back and forth trying to find traction, but it doesn’t work. I am here, alone, stopped, looking only at the sky through the windshield of a steep rocky hill. wonderful.

Nothing to do but go down hill. Normally I hate doing this because the steering becomes almost useless when backing up a steep hill with weight on the rear tire. But the GMC’s four-wheel steering saves the day, allowing him to slowly but safely turn down the hill and steer to where he can leave Heartbreak Hill in the digital rearview mirror. .

I later found out that I had to press the button for 5 seconds to turn on the front rocker. wait what? I have moved many cars with front rockers. Ram Power Wagon, Chevrolet ZR2, Jeep Wrangler, Mercedes Benz G Wagon and more. none For 5 seconds of that, I had to press a button for 5 seconds to connect to the front locker. In fact, most of them get involved within a second of her. If you want front rocker, you need it now, not 5 seconds later.

Although it could have been for the best. I think he could have conquered the hill if he had the rocker working, but the rocks embedded in the top are pretty dangerous and the Hummer doesn’t have a spare tire. GMC says it’s a packaging issue, which, frankly, is a terrible mistake. One of his most common breakdowns off-road is a puncture, and he’s limited in what he can do with his kit or his Fix-a-Flat.

What kills the Hummer for me is its efficiency, or lack thereof. GMC has reached a point of diminishing returns when it comes to battery size and weight. It’s about 2,000 pounds heavier than the Rivian R1T thanks to its massive battery, but it doesn’t add much more range. The Hummer has 329 miles of range, but his 135kWh battery in the Rivian’s tiny lasts 314 miles, so I don’t think it needs a runway.

During my off-road trips in my Hummer, I manage just 0.9 miles/kWh. During that time, I had plenty of off-road time on the Rivian, averaging 1.6 miles/kWh. This included soft sand dunes. That’s average for a Hummer on the street. Rivian? I’m seeing about 2.3 miles/kWh on pavement.

In ideal conditions, the Hummer can take full advantage of its 350kW charge and add 100 miles worth of electrons in just 10 minutes. However, you need to make sure the battery is pre-conditioned and find a DC fast charger capable of fast charging. Charging at home is pretty fast with the 11.5 kW onboard charger, but with a battery this big you can expect to plug your rig in and keep it charging for 12 hours.

It’s hard to justify spending $110,000, including $1,595 on a very inefficient EV. In my home state of California, Electrify America currently charges non-members 43 cents per kWh. Charging at home overnight cost 38 cents per kWh. Sure, it’s cheaper than gas, but there are other EVs like the Rivian R1T that use electronics smarter and are cheaper to start.

Sure, the Hummer EV has cool rear-wheel steering, but that’s really the only worthy party trick. In the end, it’s too heavy and too big for many trails. The front rocker doesn’t kick in fast enough and there’s no spare tire. Add in the lack of reliable brakes and you’re looking at an EV best left in the dealer’s lot.