Pickup trucks are some of North America’s most popular models, representing more than 19% of all vehicles sold. With the proliferation of EVs, there are an increasing number of electric trucks that offer all the capabilities of a gas-powered pickup in a high-performance, eco-conscious design. GMC has been at the forefront of EVs, so if you head to a GMC dealer in search of an electric truck, you’ll have two great options to choose from: the Hummer EV Pickup and the Sierra EV Denali.
These modern trucks have very different heritages. The Hummer EV Pickup is a descendant of the legendary Hummer that was a popular SUV in the early 2000s, while the Sierra is a long-running high-end cousin of the Chevy Silverado. How does this background play into their current design, and which truck should you be looking at for your garage? In this comparison of the Hummer EV Pickup and Sierra EV, I’ll look at the highlights of each to see which is best for towing, cargo, off-roading, comfort, and other aspects of owning a truck.
Powertrain
Suffice it to say neither of these electric trucks is lacking power. The GMC Hummer EV Pickup has two powertrain configurations depending on your needs. The dual-motor setup (in the 2X trim) delivers 570 hp and 7,400 lb-ft of torque; an optional Watts to Freedom add-on can boost the output to 635 hp. With the tri-motor GMC Hummer EV Pickup 3X, you’re looking at a whopping 1,000 hp and 11,500 lb-ft of torque.
The GMC Sierra 1500 EV Denali’s dual-motor powertrains make 645 hp in the Extended Range setup or 760 hp in the Max Range setup, both with 785 lb-ft of torque. Every Hummer EV Pickup and Sierra EV comes standard with AWD, making them muscular trucks, with the Hummer EV Pickup 3X being an extreme machine for adventurers.
Capabilities
The hauling numbers may not be what you expected based on the truck names and powertrains. For starters, the GMC Hummer EV Pickup 2X far outshines the Hummer EV Pickup 3X in this category. Hummer EV Pickup 2X owners get a 12,000-lb towing capacity and a 1,485-lb payload capacity; with the 3X, these figures are 8,500 lbs and 1,300 lbs, respectively. This makes sense if you think about it, as drivers are less likely to tow heavy equipment when tackling extreme terrain. All Hummer EV Pickups have a crew cab and a five-foot bed.
Meanwhile, the GMC Sierra EV Denali has a towing capacity of 10,500 lbs, falling about halfway between the two Hummers. Its payload capacity is 1,450 lbs, and while it has a crew cab like the Hummer, the bed is almost a foot longer at 5 feet and 11 inches. You can add a MultiPro midgate and tailgate as well which combine to extend the bed to nearly 11 feet. This makes the Hummer EV Pickup 2X the best truck for sheer hauling power and the Sierra EV better if you want to fit lumber, dirt bikes, ATVs, or other lighter-weight cargo in the bed.
Ruggedness
The target audience for each truck comes into tighter focus when you look at the underpinnings. The Hummer EV Pickup is clearly engineered with off-roading in mind, starting with an adaptive air suspension that deftly handles any driving situation and the truck’s weight. It has precise steering and a special Crab Walk Mode to go around obstacles: When activated, the front and rear wheels will simultaneously turn up to ten degrees, and it works forward or reverse at up to 35 mph.
Front and rear electronic locking differentials are available, along with torque vectoring to maximize traction. The optional Extreme Off-Road Package completes the adventure focus with 35-inch Goodyear mud terrain tires, aluminum 18-inch wheels, skid plates, rubber flooring, up to 18 cameras, and other features for trails and rough roads.
The Sierra EV has some of the same features, including air suspension and four-wheel steering, which are useful in many on-road situations, such as tight turns or parallel parking. However, it does not include the Crab Walk Mode. Although the Sierra has 35-inch tires like the Extreme Off-Road Package-equipped Hummer, they sit on 24-inch wheels; this means a shorter sidewall that offers better handling on paved roads but won’t handle off-road bumps and potholes as well.
Range
If your primary goal is to go as far as possible between charges, the Sierra EV Denali is your ride. Choose between an Extended Range battery that can go up to 390 miles or a Max Range battery for 460 miles. As for the Hummer EV Pickup, the 2X can go 318 miles between charges (282 miles with mud terrain tires) using the standard 20-module battery pack, while the 3X can go 312 miles (289 miles with MT tires). A 24-module pack is available for the 3X that increases the range to 359 miles with the Extreme Off-Road Package and 381 miles without.
That said, the difference isn’t as big as it first appears. Both use advanced 800-volt battery architecture that allows for DC Fast Charging, letting you add about 100 miles of range in ten minutes. If you also have a Level 2 charger at home, you probably won’t notice the range difference for around-town driving or short trips; it will mainly come into play if you go on a lot of long trips.
Interior
When you step into each truck, it’s almost like a different world. The interior of a Hummer EV Pickup is bombastic and feels almost like a spaceship. The highlights include a 13.4-inch infotainment touchscreen with Google Built-In, 12-way adjustable power front seats that are heated and ventilated, Wi-Fi hotspot capability, and a Bose CenterPoint 14-speaker sound system. The tech fiesta continues with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 12.3-inch digital gauge display, a wireless charging pad with phone projection, and a heated steering wheel. Passengers get 45.6 inches of front legroom and 38.9 inches of rear legroom with leather-alternative upholstery and an 11.3-cu.ft. front trunk.
As for the Sierra EV, it’s a carbon copy of the gas-powered Sierra 1500 Denali, which means pure luxury in truck form. The infotainment screen is even bigger than the Hummer at 16.8 inches, and you also get a 14-inch head-up display, though the gauge display shrinks to 11 inches. You also get wireless charging and a Wi-Fi hotspot with 5G connectivity, and although the front legroom is slightly smaller at 44.8 inches, the rear legroom surges to 44.3 inches (and the outboard seats are heated). The Sierra EV also has a Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) design that lets you turn the truck into an emergency generator, running a home on limited power for up to 21 days. On the other hand, the Bose audio system only has seven speakers, and the front seats only have eight adjustments.
Safety
In terms of safety, either truck is a win. Both come with the full GMC Pro Safety suite, which includes nearly twenty standard driver assistance features, such as Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind-Spot Monitoring, Blind Zone Steering Assistance w/ Trailering, Forward Collision Alerts, Following Distance Indicator, Adaptive Cruise Control, Front Pedestrian & Bicyclist Braking, Intellibeam Automatic Headlights, Safety Alert Seating, Rear Cross-Traffic Braking, Intersection Automatic Emergency Braking, Rear Pedestrian Alerts, Side Bicyclist Alerts, Reverse Automatic Braking, Traffic Sign Recognition, Speed Limit Assist, Driver Attention Assistance, and Buckle-to-Drive.
Furthermore, Super Cruise (GM’s hands-free tool) is in every Hummer EV Pickup and Sierra EV, letting these models drive themselves on compatible highways and even tow equipment while doing so. The Hummer EV Pickup comes with three years of Super Cruise plus OnStar services, while the Sierra EV includes eight years.
Two Electric Trucks Driving Into the Future
The Hummer EV Pickup and Sierra EV are high-quality pickups that offer many possibilities from the big city to remote areas, but each one caters to a certain type of driver. The GMC Hummer EV Pickup 2X is an excellent towing vehicle with solid off-roading and everyday driving capabilities. The GMC Sierra 1500 EV Denali offers the most upscale, tech-friendly experience on main roads but can do some dirty work. The GMC Hummer EV Pickup 3X is an unapologetic off-road beast that easily rolls over hills, rocks, and dunes. Pick the right electric truck for your needs, and you’ll be a happy driver.
