Opens A Toybox Of Excess
On a sleepy country road with no traffic in sight, I come to a stop in the 2026 GMC Hummer EV 3X pickup. I tap the stability control toggle twice to engage Watts to Freedom mode. The center screen brings up a graphic of the pickup on a nighttime runway, a spaceship whir provides a sense of ceremony, and the digital instrument cluster pops up a graphic asking if I want to proceed.
I click ‘yes’ using the toggle on the steering wheel, then have to wait a few seconds as the air suspension lowers the truck by 3.5 inches. The gauge cluster brings up a graphic saying brake harder. I follow dutifully, and the graphic changes to say “Floor it.” I release the brake, a torque meter graphic at the top of the IP indicates I’m using max torque, and 9,000 pounds (or so) of Hummer launches as hard as you’d expect in any supercar. The 0-60 mph sprint flashes by in about three seconds. I’m awestruck, and tempted to yell, “Murica, f-yeah!”
Watts to Freedom is one of a full toybox of goodies offered by the Hummer EV pickup. The Hummer was the first of General Motors’ new-generation of electric vehicles, and the company threw every bit of technology they could at it. That technology gives it a good range, immense power, real off-road capability, and a few party tricks to show off to your friends.
The power is provided by a trio of electric motors that combine to make a whopping 1,160 horsepower. The power is sudden and strong in Watts to Freedom, and given how much weight it has to propel it’s unexpected. The rest of the time, however, the power is easy to modulate to toddle along in traffic.
My tester has the optional 24-module, 205-kWh battery pack that increases range from 312 to 363 miles. It’s a hefty $9,995 option. It only adds to the Hummer’s weight problem, and you’ll have to decide if the extra range is worth that price. I think not.
Despite the reasonable range, the Hummer EV isn’t efficient for an EV. It’s EPA rated at 1.49 miles per kWh, which makes it among the least efficient EVs on the market. Still, its MPGe ratings of 58 city, 46 highway, 52 combined indicate that overall it is about as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius. It can handle a DC fast charge at up to 350 kw, which can take as little as 45 minutes for a full charge, and it comes with a 19.2-kWh onboard charger for faster home charging.
The weight also affects the ride and handling, but not as negatively as you’d expect. Rather than the typical pickup ride with a rear end that can bounce around due to low weight, the Hummer’s weight is distributed more evenly front to back, and it sits low. This helps the Hummer EV smooth the road. Its tires absorb impacts well, creating a smooth ride that isn’t nearly as busy as other trucks.
Handling suffers for the weight, but it’s not much different than any other full-size pickup. The Hummer EV pickup has an advanced air suspension with adaptive dampers. With 10.1 inches of standard ground clearance, the Hummer leans notably in corners, but the steering is stable and direct, and this big truck is fairly pleasant to drive.
It also has fantastic off-road capability for its size. The air springs give it a standard ground clearance of 10.6 inches. That can drop 3.5 inches for Watts to Freedom and for an entry/exit height. It can also rise to 16.5 inches for an Extract mode that is meant to help the vehicle to clear rocks or rise out of the muck.
This is all much easier with the available knobby 305/70R18 Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires in the Extreme Off-Road package, but I prefer the ride and handling of the more street-friendly 305/55R22 Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT tires on my tester. The Hummer tends to roll over on the Off-Road package tires, making for very sloppy handling. It’s more composed with the 22s.
The Extreme Off-Road package also includes front and rear locking differentials, skid plates, rear recovery hooks, rocker protectors, and forward and rearward underbody cameras. That all helps the Hummer get through tough terrain, but even without the Off-Road package, the Hummer has some goodies that aid its maneuverability both on-road and off. They’re also pretty neat party tricks that you can use to delight your friends.
The most notable of them is Crab Walk. It uses the rear-axle steering to turn the rear wheels in the same direction as the fronts, up to 10 degrees. I gave it a try on a couple of occasions for the novelty. To use it, I come to a stop with the steering wheel straight, then press and hold the 4-Wheel Steer button on the Driver Mode Control dial on the center console. I have to keep it down for a few seconds to trigger the Crabwalk animation on the center screen. From there, it’s just a matter of steering right or left to let the Hummer drive diagonally at up to 20 mph. It’s mostly just a curiosity, but it could come in handy when facing a tight off-road maneuver.
King Crab off-road rear steer mode would be even more useful, though. It turns the rear wheels twice as fast as the fronts to swing the rear end, which could be very useful for off-road switchbacks. It’s activated the same way Crab Walk is, except I have to hit the King Crab button, which looks like a crown with crab claws, opposite of the 4-Wheel Steer button. It’s great for shortening the turning radius, which is already short given the rear-axle steering.
The Hummer’s cabin doesn’t have the rich materials of a typical six-figure vehicle, but its synthetic leather and other surface materials feel appropriately marine grade. The large screens, an 11-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 13.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, give it a high-tech feel as well. Space for five is generous, and the five-foot bed is useful but not as utilitarian as the 6.5- and 8.0-foot beds of gas pickup alternatives.
The 2026 Hummer EV starts at $101,090, including a stiff $1,995 destination fee, for a rear-wheel drive, two-motor 2X model. The 3X model I’m driving starts at $107,295 to add the front motor, more power, and Watts to Freedom mode.
If you’re going to choose a Hummer EV pickup, the extra money for the 3X model feels worthwhile. It brings not only more power but more toys, and the toys are the main reason to pick this oversized tour de force of electric vehicle technology.
Images: GMC
