Lucas Bell 
It’s been a few months now since General Motors made a big splash at the Super Bowl with their GMC Hummer EV ad. While we’ve gotten a few teasers of the electric vehicle in the time since, GMC has finally given us a teaser that relates to the Hummer’s performance capabilities. Published via a cryptic Tweet, we have our second teaser of the mysterious “Crab Mode” feature that the EV truck and SUV will have. The image also seems to tease the range-topping version’s tri-motor setup that will feature 1,000 horsepower.
The Tweet carried the image seen above, as well as the caption reading “Real revolutionaries forge their own direction.”
While the crustacean-inspired naming may seem odd for a large SUV, this isn’t actually the first time that GM has mentioned the feature. We can’t make a definitive claim one way or another, but this certainly seems like the General’s clapback at the slick Tank Turn feature from Rivian. By sending power to each of the four electric motors sending power to the ground, the Rivian products can do zero degree turns on their own axis. Rumors have swirled that suggest GM would introduce a version of this feature on their own EVs.
However, these rumors also suggest that the GMC Hummer EV could employ a tank-like turning system in a very different way. Crab Mode may actually employ a four-wheel steering system that will allow the electric truck and SUV variants to “walk” side to side, according to Fox News Autos. While it seems like a bit of a party trick, perhaps it could be useful on the trails. Or parallel parking.
Electric vehicles and gimmicky features go hand in hand. We can all blame one South African emerald magnate’s son for birthing that trend with fart buttons and falcon doors. Perhaps the key to making a successful EV is to jam it full of features that other cars simply wouldn’t dare employ.
Regardless, expect to learn more about the GMC Hummer EV’s Crab Walk feature before the truck starts production in fall of 2021. The SUV version will come later.
