Driving a prototype of the 2022 GMC Hummer EV in October 2021 was a revealing experience. I had never piloted such a large, heavy, and fast vehicle before. The Hummer is an enormous off-road machine capable of spinning all four of its 35-inch Goodyear tires off the line when in Watts to Freedom (WTF) mode. Remarkably, it can also maneuver with the agility of a Chevy Bolt hatchback.
I spent a good amount of time driving the Hummer and chatting with Al Oppenheiser, the vehicle’s chief engineer. During our conversations, he opened up about the challenges his engineering team faced during the vehicle’s development. Among these was a surprising feature that had to be dialed back before the truck was sent to customers: the ability to perform wheelies.
After pushing the Hummer to highway speeds on the steeply banked test track at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds, I expressed my admiration for how effortlessly the truck could spin its tires upon launch. Oppenheiser noted that this was an ideal scenario for launches but mentioned that the situation was even wilder when the front tires lifted off the ground.
“When we first worked to balance the front and rear torque, I managed to get the front end to rise,” he explained. Much of the vehicle’s development was done digitally, so when it came to actual testing, some unexpected characteristics emerged. “We had to reduce the torque on the front end,” he added while preparing the Hummer for another launch.
After our last sprint to reach highway speeds in WTF mode, I sought clarification from Oppenheiser about the truck’s ability to perform a wheelstand if properly adjusted. He confirmed that it was indeed possible, noting, “originally, that was the case,” and theoretically, it could still do so “to prove that you can.”
However, he made it clear that for the production models of this heavyweight 4×4, this capability wouldn’t be included for “functional safety reasons.” It felt somewhat disappointing.
In essence, while the Hummer EV can perform wheelies, it’s not designed to do so in its standard configuration. Nonetheless, achieving the truck’s launch in the shortest development period in GM’s history is commendable, even if it can’t pop a wheelie. That said, Al, if I ever find myself back at the proving grounds in a Hummer prototype, I would love to see a demonstration. After all, if I had the chance to drive it before the President, surely I could manage to lift a tire or two in style..
