My spouse, Mercedes, and I had been considered one of tens of 1000’s who traveled to Texas for the current photo voltaic eclipse. We trekked from Dallas to east Texas within the 2024 GMC Hummer EV 3X SUV (with excessive off-road bundle) to view the occasion in a first-rate location.
Alongside the best way, we’d go to off-road trails, camp, and try to seize the eclipse with out utilizing any gasoline.
Hummer: An Huge EV SUV
The Hummer EV SUV isn’t your typical electrical automobile or off-roader. It’s enormous: 18 toes lengthy, 7’2” large, and 6’6” ft. tall. It weighs 8,660 kilos, and the battery pack alone weighs as a lot as some small automobiles.
It has four-wheel steering (with “Crabwalk”), air suspension, and about 300 miles of vary. Plus, it’s loaded with tech.
This electrical behemoth’s inside is “Texas huge” and comes full with vivid high-contrast screens offering EV stats and off-road info. The roof has elective detachable Sky Panels with translucent panes. The rearview mirror is a display, not a mirror.
Even the swing-open tailgate is electrical and opens and closes on the push of a button. There’s a number of storage for camp gear, too, whether or not within the again or within the electrical frunk (entrance trunk).
Preemptive Planning
Longer journeys in EVs require cautious planning. This contains figuring out your journey’s size, charging places, and the way lengthy you’ll be able to go between expenses. We deliberate our route meticulously and got here up with a viable plan.
Our journey could be over 500 miles whole. From Dallas to Mount Nice to cost, south to Barnwell Mountain Recreation Space in Gilmer, as much as a camp spot between the 2 places, and again to Barnwell for the eclipse. Then, we’d reverse course and return to Dallas.
May the Hummer EV SUV be a viable offroader or an electrical overlander?
Charged Up, Able to Go
Earlier than leaving, we visited an EVgo charging station in Irving. It wouldn’t take our first bank card however took our second. An hour on the charger, and we had been 100% full and certain for the subsequent charging station in Mount Nice, 139 miles away.
With three electrical motors, 830 horsepower, and a claimed 11,500 pound-feet of torque (which is the mixed torque on the wheels, not the driveline), this rig has some severe scoot. It may get to 60 mph from a standstill in 3.5 seconds.
Freeway Hauler
As a freeway hauler, the rig simply cruises at 75 mph on Texas Interstates. There’s gobs of grunt and passing energy. It’s not silent, however a lot of the noise comes from the wind, as a result of rooftop tent and the Goodyear Wrangler Territory mud-terrain tires on our evaluate automobile.
The experience is stiff, and the seats are a bit flat, but it surely’s not an uncomfortable expertise. Tremendous Cruise supplies hands-free driving on sure highways, plus there’s automated lane altering. Total, the system works as marketed.
Off-Highway Wattage
Mount Nice had 4 charging spots, together with quick 350kW chargers. We charged from 44% to 100% in about an hour and a half.
As soon as full, we drove to Barnwell Mountain Recreation Area — 40 miles away — for some off-road motion.
Barnwell is a private off-road park with miles of trails and a variety of issue. Our vivid orange Hummer received a number of curious glares. You may see individuals pondering — you’re not actually going to take that off-road, are you?
Passersby instructed us to watch out and watch the bottom clearance. Others took images because it was the primary Hummer EV SUV they’d seen, and certain the primary within the park. We even received some compliments.
One neat function the Hummer EV has is Air Down Mode. On the touchscreen, you set what tire strain you need. You then manually deflate every tire till the horn honks. This allows you to know you’re at your required strain — no want for a tire strain gauge. It’s an revolutionary manner to make use of the TPMS. It really works the identical when reinflating tires.
With a curb weight of over 8,600 kilos, I solely introduced the LT305/70R18 Goodyear mud-terrains down to twenty-eight psi, in order to not lose a bead.
Hummer EV Filth Drive Modes
The Hummer has a number of driving modes. Every modifications throttle response, traction, and different driving dynamics.
For Barnwell, I opted for Terrain mode, which is suited to slower, extra technical driving. With the press of a button, I raised the SUV from 10.1 inches of floor clearance to 11.9 inches with the air suspension. If that wasn’t excessive sufficient, there’s an “extract” peak (out there solely in Terrain mode at speeds below 12 mph) that lifts the Hummer up practically 6 extra inches for a complete of 16 inches of clearance.
I additionally ensured that the rig’s automated rear steering was enabled for max agility.
To the Path
The primary off-road take a look at was a play space with undulating obstacles and small washouts. I used the varied cameras and views to keep watch over floor clearance and upcoming obstacles.
The Hummer had elective rock sliders, which I used when testing the 34.4-degree breakover angle.
For a rig this heavy, it was exceptional off-road. I drove it within the “L” transmission place, simulating a low-range gear. The one-pedal driving was additionally nice on this scenario. Let off the accelerator and the Hummer would decelerate exceptionally quick. This gave me terrific management when traversing obstacles.
My favourite function was the automated four-wheel steering, which permits the rear wheels to show as much as 10 levels in both path. This provides the Hummer EV SUV a 35.4-foot turning radius — the identical as a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek. It allowed this hulking SUV to be maneuvered down tight trails with confidence.
We ran varied routes, some with respectable climbs and descents. A number of allowed me to check the 49.6-degree strategy and 49-degree departure angles and the locking entrance and rear axles. With out the rear steering, I’d’ve hesitated to aim these tighter trails.
The Hummer EV SUV was surprisingly enjoyable to wheel on each difficult trails and scenic routes.
I performed with a lot of the menus. Some confirmed pitch and roll, others allow us to view elevation, a compass, and latitude and longitude. There have been menus displaying how a lot energy was being put to the bottom, and electrical energy utilization readouts.
The number of digital camera angles was most helpful. Sure, I attempted the much-hyped Crabwalk, however discovered it to be a novelty.
We didn’t use the Energy Station function, which permits generator performance and the power to cost different EVs.
Watching the Vary
We saved a watchful eye on our vary all day. We nonetheless needed to get to camp that night time, which wouldn’t have a charger, after which again to Barnwell the subsequent day for the eclipse — all with out a recharge.
After airing up the tires, we went 30 miles to Coppergate Ranch for tenting. We discovered a spot, arrange the rooftop tent, and met different individuals there for the eclipse.
The Hummer received a number of consideration, particularly after we stated it was electrical. The rooftop tent additionally sparked many conversations.
Again to Barnwell for the Eclipse
The subsequent morning it was again to Barnwell for the eclipse, slated for 1:44 p.m.
As soon as there, the drive mode system wouldn’t go into Terrain mode. I ended up making an attempt “My Mode,” which I personalized to imitate Terrain mode, which included elevating the rig’s suspension up.
We discovered a shady spot, opened the tailgate to get provides, made breakfast, and took extra images of our “Afterburner Tintcoat” (aka “orange”) EV.
We discovered the electrical tailgate to be a blended bag. Generally it’d open all the best way, generally not. When it labored, it was nice.
The keyless entry/push-button begin was additionally a bit finicky. We couldn’t work out why the rear doorways saved locking and the horn would honk thrice for seemingly no motive.
As soon as breakfast was executed, we off-roaded some extra. The rig finally went into Terrain mode.
We discovered a spot to view and hopefully {photograph} the eclipse. The sky was a mixture of solar and thick clouds, however because the eclipse drew nearer, the sky magically cleared. It grew darkish and eerie because the moon coated the solar. Earlier than we knew it, the eclipse was over.
Extreme storms had been transferring into the world, and we needed to get again to Mount Nice (40 miles away) earlier than they rolled in. If storms knocked out energy, we’d have to search out one other charger earlier than returning to Dallas. Fortunately, we made it again with 100 miles of vary and no storms — but.
Public Charging Challenges
Mount Nice’s charging stations had been abuzz with EVs after the eclipse. One of many 4 chargers was down, and there was a four-vehicle wait to plug in. Ultimately, we took an influence bump to 82% — sufficient to get again to Dallas on one cost.
We had been alleged to camp once more that night time, however with the approaching menace of widespread extreme climate, we returned to Dallas and hoteled it. After we arrived, we had 22% left — about 66 miles. We deliberate to cost the subsequent morning earlier than dropping the Hummer off on the airport.
After we arrived on the EVgo chargers in Euless, Texas, the subsequent morning, we encountered extra inoperable chargers and no approach to recharge in time for our flight. We known as EVgo and had been instructed the charger we had been making an attempt to make use of was offline. We ended up dropping the Hummer off with 64 miles of vary left. Whereas sufficient to make it to a different Dallas-area charging station, if this was someplace else, we would have had an issue.
EVs, Off-Roading, and Overlanding: It’s Getting There
As EV ranges enhance and charging infrastructure expands, attending to backcountry off-road trails and taking longer overland journeys will get extra reasonable.
Our largest problem was public charging. We didn’t go that far off-grid, however 4 of the eight chargers (each EVgo and Electrify America) we tried to make use of didn’t work. We had been in a position to do every little thing we needed, however a 50% charging success price isn’t nice.
Public charging was additionally costlier than anticipated. At as much as $0.64 per kWh, our costliest cost was $68.67, which took us from 44% to 100%. For comparability, if we would have liked to fill an ICE SUV’s 30-gallon fuel tank on the present Texas common of $3.22, it could price $96.60.
Wanting studying the Hummer’s ins and outs (and the transient disappearance of Terrain mode), the large EV did every little thing we needed it to do and extra. The tech helped us off-road a 4.3-ton EV and, frankly, it’s plenty of enjoyable to drive on pavement and within the grime.
Its jack-o-lantern paint scheme solely added to its larger-than-life character; this isn’t a automobile for introverts. I ended up liking it far more than I anticipated. The mix of energy, off-road prowess, and elegance was extra interesting than I assumed.
FYI, this rig got here in at slightly below $120,000 including the extreme off-road package. It’s not precisely for everybody.
EV Off-Roading & Overlanding: The Subsequent Journey Frontier?
Adventuring with an EV is all about vary and planning. One might argue taking an EV on any long-distance journey — particularly when off-roading and tenting — is an journey unto itself. Maybe EV overlanding is actually the subsequent frontier in relation to motorcar recreation.
The Hummer EV 3X SUV (with excessive off-road bundle) is likely to be probably the most culturally American of EVs, too. It’s enormous, it’s succesful, and it’s extravagant. It even has an American flag embossed on the physique. It’s every little thing a Hummer ever was, however with out fossil gas.
As an overlander, it’s surprisingly good. Simply ensure you plan your routes round charging, and you may have nice electrical adventures.
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