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What is WTF Mode on the 2022 GMC Hummer EV? GMC calls it Watts to Freedom and it’s the ultimate launch mode for the 2022 Hummer EV.

Hummer added the Watts to Freedom, or WtF mode, to the new GMC Hummer.
2022 GMC Hummer EV | General Motors

When you put your Hummer EV into WTF mode, it lowers on its suspension, it cools the batteries for maximum torque. Then, with one foot on the brake, hit the accelerator and the truck should hit 60 mph in about 3 seconds. That’s it, according to the user’s manual.

Tesla pioneered special acceleration modes with its Ludicrous and Ludicrous Plus Modes, which are a throwback to a goofy scene in “Spaceballs,” when Dark Helmet says, “No … light speed is too slow.” It’s right before “they’ve gone to plaid.”

At GMC.com you can find a copy of the 2022 GMC Hummer EV’s Owner’s Manual. In it you can learn a ton of info about the new truck, like the maintenance schedule, how to open the front trunk from outside, and how to fasten a child safety seat.

But we don’t care about that. We care about the go-fast mode; GMC calls it Watts to Freedom mode, or WTF for short, and it may be even more ludicrous than you imagine.

Yes, the driver’s seat vibrates in WTF mode

The owner's manual for the 2022 casually describes what WtF mode does.
What happens in WTF mode | GMC

From the manual: “Acceleration Mode (Watts to Freedom) While in Acceleration Mode, the speedometer will appear in the center of the display with the battery gauge below it and the torque gauge above it. There are two DIC areas on the left and right of the display. Follow the prompts on the instrument cluster. See Acceleration Mode (Watts to Freedom) …”

Launch Status:

  • Lowering : Vehicle ride height is lowering to optimize weight transfer. Keep doors closed and watch your surroundings.
  • Standby : Watts to Freedom is prepared for the vehicle to come to a stop.
  • Cooling : Battery system is cooling for maximum torque delivery.
  • Warming : Battery system is warming up for maximum torque delivery.
  • Ready : The system is prepared for launch. Press the brake with your left foot and follow the instructions shown in the instrument cluster.

Hit the buttons, and the Hummer EV tells you to “Floor It” in WTF mode

A Hummer EV chirps all four tires on acceleration runs.

“The Watts to Freedom feature accelerates the vehicle from 0 km/h (0 mph) to 97 km/h (60 mph) in about three seconds on a straightaway. This mode was designed for short durations, and not intended for daily use,” the manual says. Watts to Freedom impacts almost every major feature of the EV, from the pedal map and the ABS system to the stability control, ride height, the Electric Vehicle Sound Enhancement, steering, active rear steer, electric Four-Wheel Drive, “and active braking will also be tuned for maximum performance while in the Watts to Freedom mode.”

Our favorite feature, though is, “Once the Acceleration mode is entered, the driver seat will vibrate throughout the different stages of the feature.”

The owner's manual explains Watts to Freedom mode.
Watts to Freedom from the owner’s manual | GMC

Step-by-step to Watts to Freedom

On pages 196 and 197 of the manual, GMC explains how to use WTF, with one warning: “When this feature is activated, the vehicle lowers and accelerates rapidly. Someone could be injured or killed if struck by the vehicle, or the vehicle could be damaged.”

Step 1: Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.

Step 2. Press (traction control button) twice on the instrument panel. A video with sound will appear on the infotainment screen. A message will display on the Driver Information Center (DIC) to confirm the lowering feature of the Watts to Freedom mode.

Step 3. Once the vehicle lowers, the instrument cluster displays a Power Gauge Capability graphic, which increases as the vehicle begins optimizing battery temperature. The amount of time this takes depends on the outside temperatures. When battery optimization is complete and Watts to Freedom is ready, a message will display on the instrument cluster indicating the feature is ready.

Step 4. Straighten the steering wheel and press and hold the brake pedal with your left foot. A “Brake Harder” message may appear on the instrument cluster.

Step 5. The instrument cluster will display a “Floor It” message. While holding the brake pedal with your left foot, use your right foot to press the accelerator pedal to the floor.

Step 6. When the brake and accelerator pedals are pressed the appropriate amount, the instrument cluster will display a “Release Brake to Launch” message. While your right foot is holding the accelerator to the floor, quickly release the brake pedal to accelerate the vehicle. The vehicle will begin a rapid acceleration with greater-than-normal torque until the accelerator pedal has been released.

Step 7. After the acceleration event, Watts to Freedom will be in standby mode until the vehicle has come to a complete stop. The acceleration event can be repeated until the Watts to Freedom mode is exited. Exiting Watts to Freedom Mode After acceleration is complete, exit the Watts to Freedom mode. Remaining in this mode will decrease vehicle performance.

Related: Cybertruck VS Ford Lightning VS Hummer EV: Which Electric Truck Will Reign Supreme?

What is the top speed of the Hummer EV?

The top speed of the Hummer EV is about 106 miles per hour, but with WtF mode, it'll get there quick.
The GMC Hummer EV | General Motors

The Hummer EV is quick, but is it fast? Sure, the Hummer EV can hit 60 mph in about three seconds. But, how fast does ultimately go? The manual doesn’t say. In various videos, however, testers hit a speed limiter at 106 mph, after hitting 60 in 3.0 seconds.

Motor Trend confirms that with a trap speed of 105.4 in a quarter-mile run that took just 11.7 seconds.  For comparison, the 911 GT3 hits 60 mph in 2.7 but crosses the line at 127.9 in 10.8 seconds because it kept accelerating.

Regardless, the 9,000-pound Hummer EV can embarrass everything from a 2022 Cadillac Blackwing to any stock C6 Corvette, and keep pace with almost any modern Ferrari, Lamborghini and any Viper to 60.

What the driver sees in WtF mode.
Watt you see in Watts to Freedom mode | GMC

Related

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.