GMC tests HUMMER EV on legendary Moab trails

GMC says its HUMMER EV Pickup is going through rigorous off-road testing in the lead-up to its production debut this year.

Traversing challenging trails across Moab, Utah, the team’s testing, and calibration included Adaptive Air Suspension hardware, Extract Mode, Terrain Mode, One-Pedal Driving control, e4WD and torque distribution, eLockers, stability control, rear steering, CrabWalk, and more.

Available Terrain Mode, part of the GMC HUMMER EV’s Drive Mode Control, will offer two braking calibrations, with a mild braking option for two-foot driving and a purpose-designed One-Pedal Driving control in low-speed off-road driving. As pioneered by General Motors for other electric vehicles, One-Pedal Driving enables the driver to accelerate and decelerate using only the accelerator pedal. With Terrain Mode, the same One-Pedal Driving control is adapted with unique calibrations for speed-limited off-road driving, helping the driver to negotiate steep grades, rock crawling and other challenging terrain without having to toggle between the accelerator and brake pedal.

“One-Pedal Driving offers a great feeling of control by optimising the regenerative braking, friction braking and drive motor torque all through the accelerator pedal,” said Aaron Pfau, GMC HUMMER EV Lead Development Engineer. “Drivers will quickly realise the benefits once they try it off-road.”

When the road gets tough, the upcoming available Extract Mode feature enables the Adaptive Air Suspension height to be raised approximately six inches help the HUMMER EV negotiate extreme off-road situations, such as clearing large boulders and fording deeper water.

“The GMC HUMMER EV was a blank slate that was filled out by a dedicated team of engineers who are hardcore off-road enthusiasts,” said Pfau. “Features like One-Pedal Driving, Terrain Mode and Extract Mode result in an absolute off-road beast that will take you to new places.”