The GMC Hummer EV comes with a "Crabwalk" feature, in which the front and rear wheels turn in the same direction, enabling the truck to move diagonally. Photo: Courtesy of GM
I test drive new cars in my role as a juror for the North American Car & Truck of the Year awards. (The cars are loaned to jurors for evaluation purposes and my opinions are my own.)
This monster truck is considered a "halo product" for General Motors — meant to establish GM's electric bona fides and to attract customers who might not otherwise consider buying an EV.
But there's nothing angelic about it.
Eye-popping specs: The 1,000-hp Hummer EV weighs 9,640 pounds — almost five tons! — and yet can launch from 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds in what GM calls WTF mode ("Watts to Freedom").
And because it has four-wheel steering, there's even "crabwalk" mode, which allows the front and rear wheels to turn in the same direction, so the truck can actually move diagonally.
Yes, but: The problem with heavyweight EVs like this is that they're potentially dangerous for other road users.
Car & Driver called out the Hummer EV's disappointing braking performance. It may be fast, but it's hard to stop.
And then there's the price: My test vehicle, which came with the optional extended-range battery (up to 381 miles) and extreme off-road package, topped $126,000.
While that's out of range for most people, GM still managed to find 14,000 Hummer EV buyers last year.
💭 My thought bubble: If the Tesla Cybertruck didn't exist, the Hummer EV would be the most outlandish vehicle on the road.
