Let’s be real. Five years ago, nobody expected GMC to revive the Hummer badge, never mind turn it into an electric pickup. And yet here we are, with the 2022 GMC Hummer EV catching headlines for its impressive feats. If the old Hummer would only guzzle gas and run the asphalt, the 2022 GMC Hummer EV is properly equipped to tackle the trails, sand dunes and muddy swamps. Let’s have a look at what GMC armed the Hummer EV with.

The GMC Hummer EV is unapologetically dramatic, leaving everyone shaking their head wishfully while boasting a broad smile. Yet in this particular case, we are not discussing the angles of the chassis, but the approach, break over and departure angles. With a 49.7-degree approach angle, a 32.2-degree break over angle generated by 15.9 inches of ground clearance and a 38.4-degree departure angle, the GMC Hummer EV can tackle plenty tall obstacles without grunting. In fact, the aforementioned values make it good for over 18” of vertical wall climb.

Even if you are pushing the clearance limits of the chassis, the added skid pads and reinforced belly available with the Extreme Off-roading Package will protect from any unwanted guests from the trail.

Having all four steerable wheels, the Hummer EV becomes easier to maneuver in tight spaces like city parking spots. Yet, that’s not the only perks of having both the front and the rear wheels turn. The crab-walk makes all four wheels turn in the same direction, getting the Hummer EV to travel diagonally.

Most vehicles that feature a rear wheel steering system turn the rear wheels by 3-degrees at most. However, the Hummer EV will crank them as much as 10 degrees, resulting in a rather compact 35.4-foot turning circle. Remember, this isn’t a Chevrolet Bolt (which has the same turn radius), but an 8-foot-long behemoth.

The Hummer pickup was engineered first as an offroad machine, and only then as an on-road vehicle. As such, the battery pack doubles as a structural element, replacing the regular chassis rails. The underbody is completely flat and flanked by skid plates.

Furthermore, while we’re still beneath the pickup, it is worth noting that the big beefy tow hooks in the front and rear are designed to hold more than five times the towing capacity of the Hummer EV.

Ground clearance and Extract Mode

The standard ground clearance of the Hummer EV is 15.9 inches, as discussed above. However, switching to Terrain driving mode will soon be able to add another 2 inches of clearance in Extract Mode.The Hummer EV has a higher ground clearance than the Rivian R1T and can safely handle roughly 32 inches of water.

As with any self-respecting off-road truck, the Hummer EV’s tires can be deflated to improve traction over rough terrain. Opening the off-road app on the center console allows to set the deflation pressure. On the downside, re-inflating the tires has to be done manually, and GMC does not provide a compressor or hoses for the job.

Overall, GMC took a rather unworthy asphalt beast and dropped a ton of off-road tech into an electric beating heart. The result? The GMC Hummer EV can tackle rough surfaces as well as some of the oldest and most prestigious names in the business.