I Took the New Hummer EV for a Spin and It Was Better Than I Imagined

IT’S AROUND 2 P.M. on a cool Saturday afternoon, and I’m midway through a workout in an empty parking lot in upstate New York. There’s not a single barbell or weight machine in sight. Yet somehow, despite not having my big training staples, I’m keeled over, hands on my knees, lungs on fire.

That’s because I just finished off my third set of seriously heavy work, dragging a GMC Hummer EV for about 30 seconds through a lot near the camping area in Hillside Park, up in Hastings-0n-the-Hudson. And I’ll be honest, I didn’t quite realize just how hard it would be (or how much it would rock my glutes and abs and lats and forearms) to haul an 8,500-pound behemoth of a vehicle in neutral with a pair of straps.

This wasn’t a normal workout, of course. Then again, when you’re away for the weekend and tight on time, it makes for a good workout. It was a good reminder that my workout can take many forms, and with a vehicle like the Hummer EV, it can happen anytime, anywhere.

That’s the true magic of the Hummer EV. GMC’s electric SUV isn’t just a terrific ride, but it’s a complete vehicle that lets you bring any part of your life anywhere – even into the middle of the woods. My weekend with GMC’s monster felt like three days with a Transformer stripped from a Michael Bay flick. Not only did the EV survive three full days with just one charge-up, but it let me haul enough gear for two full workouts, and still had so much room that I took my parents and little brother out for dinner. Translation: Plenty of fun and versatility.

An Electrifying Experience

I’ve tested several electric cars before, but nothing could prep me for this Hummer. Its sheer size was eye-catching, and once I got inside, I felt incredibly at home. Few vehicles, even pickups, are as roomy as this Hummer, which comfortably seats five, with leg room to spare. An underrated bonus was the quality of the back seats, which were also heated: perfect for my 81-year-old father, who got in and out of the vehicle with surprising ease.

The trunk space, meanwhile, was practically livable. I’m never sure how much gear I can fit into an SUV comfortably, so I only brought a few dumbbells, a kettlebell and a TRX. But you can easily fit a Rogue bench, and some medballs in there, too, which would have made for a more versatile workout. The only reason I talked myself out of that: I didn’t want to turn loading the vehicle into more of a workout.

When I headed from my home in Westchester, New York, to a restaurant with my parents, the Hummer EV showed off its greatest feature: Uncommon acceleration. I’m a speed guy (the kind who thinks about Corvettes). And I simply wasn’t ready for the Hummer EV to jump like that when I first hit the gas, easily bursting to 60 mph. None of that speed feels lumbering, either; the Hummer still handles itself with agility, and has so many features (sorry, crab walk!) I didn’t dare to even try. This is an SUV nerd’s dream with enough driving fun for this speed nerd, too.

Training With the Hummer EV

And . . . it satisfied the fitness nerd in me in next-level ways. A day later, when I reached Hillside Park, about 90 minutes from my house, I definitely wanted to rest. But the easiest way to get a workout done during a three-day weekend filled with travels and family is to bang that workout out first thing.

So, despite feeling fatigued, I swiftly unloaded my gear from the Hummer EV, and got to work. And it’s then that I wished I’d gone ahead and packed that Rogue bench. I didn’t have anywhere to set up for dumbbell rows or other exercises. Except I did have this beast of a Hummer – and it has a host of places for me to lean on when I’m rowing. She’s a sturdy badass, too, barely rocking no matter how explosive I got with my dumbbell rows. I banged out a few sets of rows, squats, push presses, and curls, and definitely worked up a solid sweat.

But I needed a workout finisher, and that’s where the Hummer EV really delivered. I popped her into neutral, and attached my TRX hooks to the front. Then, I started pulling. And no, it wasn’t easy, but it was plenty satisfying to drag the Hummer along for 30-second intervals, on and off. (I polished things off with a quick cooldown hike around the park.)

The Hummer EV is the kind of vehicle that’s ready for anything. And it’s perfect for my lifestyle as both a huge fitness person who wants to work out and as a fitness trainer. One of the most underrated trends out there is the fitness truck, a trailer truck tricked out with dumbbells and barbells and battle ropes and other fitness gear, perfect for trainers aiming to work out clients on the road, or run group classes in parking lots. Often, these are trailer trucks.

The Hummer EV is a better experience for trainers like me, who work one-on-one with clients, offering a much smoother (and nerdier but intensely super-cool!) ride, while delivering that ability to let me challenge clients (and myself) with the Hummer drag finisher.

Is This the Perfect Vehicle?

I’ve spent most of my life driving a 2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport (which I love and plan to keep until I die). It has 421,000 miles on it, though, so I’m aware that I may eventually need a new SUV in my life. But I’d never taken a trip in a vehicle that truly captivated me – until I met the Hummer EV.

GMC’s ride delivered everything I want in an SUV, serving my parents comfortably and delivering a terrific thumping bass when I listened to Linkin Park and Kendrick Lamar with the windows down. The Hummer also added so many little touches that I’m destined to miss a few in this story (the view through the clear-glass Infinity View roof, both in the day and at night, was serene and deserves mention).

Best of all perhaps: The GMC Hummer EV cured my range anxiety. I’ve shied away from creating a long-term relationship with an electric since taking one up north and returning home with just eight miles left on it. Despite taking the Hummer EV north and back twice, then driving it into Manhattan (and back) later, I ended my time with it with 70 miles left.

The only thing more fun than that drive: dragging the thing for a workout.