The GMC Hummer EV resurrects the iconic off-road nameplate as a tech-heavy beast packed to the gills with eye-widening specs and grin-inducing features. In fact, the GMC Hummer EV team had an enormous amount of leeway with regard to development, never really hearing the word “no” from GM brass, as GM Authority covered previously. That said, one of the Hummer EV’s most prominent off-road features, Extract Mode, almost didn’t make the cut.
GMC Hummer EV SUV in Extract Mode
GMC Hummer EV SUV in Regular Mode
In an interview with GM Authority Executive Editor Alex Luft last year, GMC Hummer EV lead development engineer Aaron Pfau explained how Extract Mode was nearly scrapped from the program altogether. When asked if there was anything that the Hummer EV team discarded during development, Pfau said:
“Almost. Extract Mode was something that we wanted to launch with, but with the pace that we were moving, we could not get it in time for production.”
Luckily, a compromise was found, with GM instead electing to push the feature out from the initial vehicle launch date:
“So we said we have to draw the line somewhere and [Extract Mode] was one [feature] we pushed out about six months after production, offering it as an OTA [over-the-air] update,” Pfau told GM Authority.
Pfau further explains that the Hummer EV was already equipped with the right hardware to make Extract Mode work, but the vehicle still required the right software calibration to make it function properly. While the feature was not available at launch, Extract Mode was later made available in July of the 2022 calendar year.
Indeed, the all-electric Hummer was one of the fastest-developed programs GM has ever done, so it’s not entirely unsurprising that a feature like Extract Mode almost got axed. Nevertheless, it’s a very good thing it wasn’t, as Extract Mode helps the rig’s off-roading chops considerably, raising the air suspension by roughly six inches for improved ground clearance, making it look like it’s “sitting on stilts,” as GMA’s Luft put it.
As a reminder, the all-electric GMC Hummer rides on the GM BT1 platform, and features GM Ultium batteries and GM Ultium Drive motors. Production takes place at the GM Factory Zero plant in Michigan.
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Comments
Every Offroad feature in that vehicle was a waste of development. That vehicle is far to big for offroading, far to heavy and far to expensive. Nobody is crab walking around boulders on an Offroad trail. Correct me if I am wrong but sorry to the development team for creating features without use.
you are actually wrong. Go check out some Hummer owners groups. They show lots of situations off-road where those features are actually used.
Crab walking is used far more when the vehicle is at an incline and needs to move away from the side of objects in a tight space that a normal turn would cause the vehicle to scrape.
How about an explanation of what extract mode is and what it does?
Quite literally from the story above…
“Indeed, the all-electric Hummer was one of the fastest-developed programs GM has ever done, so it’s not entirely unsurprising that a feature like Extract Mode almost got axed. Nevertheless, it’s a very good thing it wasn’t, as Extract Mode helps the rig’s off-roading chops considerably, raising the air suspension by roughly six inches for improved ground clearance, making it look like it’s “sitting on stilts,” as GMA’s Luft put it.”
for some very early build Edition 1 Hummer Pickups the height sensor needed to also be replaced.
When drivers need to get over or out of a tough spot, need an extra height, or traverse through boulders and water, all they have to do is initiate the Extract Mode, and the EV Hummer will activate its Adaptive Air Ride Suspension. This raises the entire car by approximately 6″ to surmount thought obstacles. In standard mode, the Hummer can ford up to 26″ of water, but in Extract mode, it can deal with up to 32″ of water. The Extract Mode can be engaged and disengaged through the Driver Mode Control dial found in the center console. First, drivers must rotate the dial to Terrain Mode. Secondly, the Raise button on the Driver Mode Control must be pressed (if starting at normal ride height, several pushes of the Raise button must be made). Finally, to deactivate Extract Mode, drivers must select a lower ride height by pressing the Lower button.
The only “extract mode” that I am interest in is one at the gmFactory that will release the HUMMERev that I ordered about a year and a half ago!!