The 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV is one of those in-your-face vehicles. From its large footprint to its boxy-and-unusual design, it immediately draws your attention. It’s a pricey statement piece that shows EVs don’t have to look like an egg.
It’s sure to be polarizing as people talk about its gargantuan size, though it’s shorter than its pickup truck sibling, and even bigger price tag.
But for those who are lucky to own one, the 2024 Hummer EV SUV proves to be a comfortable cruiser that drives smaller than it is.
When I first got behind the wheel in San Francisco, it took me a minute to get situated. It took me even longer to get used to the size proportion of the vehicle. As we accessed the narrow lanes crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, I constantly glanced at my side mirrors to make sure I was staying between the dotted white lines.
It’s always a weird sensation when you are the lane.
But the more I drove it, and the more I got used to the width and girth, the easier it got to stay confidently in my lane.
By the end of my brief test period, I was even able to confidently maneuver in a tight parking lot with the help of four-wheel steer and the surround view camera.
To be clear, this wouldn’t be an easy vehicle to live with in a city like San Francisco or Chicago, but it’s doable. And once it’s on the highways, it’s actually a comfy and competent cruiser.
The 2024 Hummer EV SUV comes with a learning curve, for sure, and just part of that has to do with size.
Aside from getting used to the sheer size of the 2024 Hummer EV SUV, there are a lot of screens to page through to access all the nifty details and features – like the available 17 camera views.
Then, of course, you have the gimmicky features like Watts To Freedom and Crabwalk – which are complemented by an amazing set of graphics, haptic seat feedback and sounds that create an immersive vehicular experience.
On the more mundane side of the tech scale, the infotainment system is Google-based, and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are wireless.
One of the oddities on the 2024 Hummer EV SUV I’m still trying to understand is the one-pedal activation. If you aren’t familiar, one-pedal driving allows you to accelerate and brake simply by the amount of pressure you apply to the accelerator pedal.
GMC needlessly complicates this process by giving you, essentially, three ways to employ this EV driving technique.
First, you can use a paddle on the steering wheel as a kind of hand brake. You have to hold the paddle to brake, and as soon as you release the paddle, braking stops. Second, you can move the gearshift from D to L, which is a kind of low-range gearing. That will slow the vehicle down as soon as you release the accelerator, but it won’t bring you to a stop.
Finally, you can activate an actual one-pedal mode through your settings in the infotainment screen. If you want to be contrary, you can even use all three of these methods at the same time for the most aggressive one-pedal braking option.
I played around with all of these things, and it came off as overdone and complicated. Plus, I couldn’t really tell a difference when I was in one-pedal mode alone or had all three things in play at the same time. So, it’s highly likely that people will either put the 2024 Hummer EV SUV in one-pedal mode, or they won’t.
The 2024 Hummer EV SUV has both two- and three-motor options, which play into range and power. The base EV2 and EV2X trims are both two-model systems that deliver 625 horsepower and up to 7,400 pound-feet of torque. Since the battery on the EV2 has 16 modules (instead of the 20 you see on every other trim), you’re looking at 250 miles of range as standard. The EV2X gets an estimated 300+ miles of range.
The EV3X and Edition 1 trims promise 300+ miles of range and deliver up to 830 horsepower and 11,500 pound-feet of torque.
So, what does all this mean for charging? Well, using a DC fast charger, It’ll take 55 minutes to go from 20 to 80% of a charge, and you can get 100 miles of range in 14 minutes. If you have an at-home Level 2 charger, you’ll add about 30 miles per hour of charging, and it’ll take 8 hours to go from 20 to 100% of a charge.
Even though the base price of the 2024 Hummer EV SUV starts at about $85k, my guess is you’ll be hard pressed to buy one for less than $100k. Especially since that base model won’t be available until the spring of 2024.
We were driving Edition 1 models that cost upwards of $110k with the off-road package.
While Edition 1 models are sold out, you do have three other trims available, and it’s the options and potential dealer markups that will take the price north quickly. But base MSRPs are as follows:
This pricing is pretty gulp-worthy. But here’s the thing, GMC owners are a different breed of buyer, who often opt for the top-tier Denali and AT4 trims. In fact, in 2022 GMC as a brand had record average transaction prices, which are at $64k as an average.
That’s $15k more than the average transaction price of a new vehicle in 2023.
My point: GMC customers pay more for their vehicles, so the hefty tag on the Hummer EV SUV isn’t as eye-popping as it first seems.
The 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV is a damn cool vehicle. And since there are more than 90k reservations to date, I’m not alone in thinking this. While it’s a far cry from being practical, it’s certainly comfortable.
Editor’s note: Driving impressions in this “First Drive” review are from an invitation-only automaker launch event that allowed special access to the vehicle and executives. GMC covered our accommodations, meals and transportation costs.