We live in strange times. Automakers are producing high-powered SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade V that can compete with electric pickup trucks in the drag race, returning impressive performance figures for their segment. A new video from TFLEV tries to see which one is the fastest through the quarter mile, gathering the GMC Hummer EV, Ford F-150 Lightning, and Cadillac Escalade V for battle.
The one to beat is the GMC Hummer EV. It packs a powerful powertrain that produces 1,000 horsepower (745 kilowatts). It is also the heaviest, weighing in at over 9,000 pounds (4,082 kilograms).
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The F-150 Lightning is down in power compared to the other two competitors, with its electric powertrain producing 452 hp (336 kW) and 775 pound-feet (1,050 Newton-meters) of torque. Cadillac packs a supercharged 6.2-liter that sends power via a 10-speed automatic transmission to its all-wheel-drive system. The engine produces 682 hp (508 kW) and 653 lb-ft (885 Nm) of torque, but it doesn’t have the instant torque the EV does.
The first race pitted Ford against GMC, with the winner facing off against a Cadillac. And Ford stands no chance against GMC, even though the Hummer is much heavier. The 1,000 hp GMC helps the big truck destroy Lightning. Ford completed the quarter mile in an impressive 13.58 seconds. However, the GMC was faster, returning a quarter-mile time of 12.31 seconds.
The Hummer then lined up against Cadillac, but the SUV’s supercharged V8 was no match for GMC’s Watt-to-Freedom mode. The truck finished the race in 12.38 seconds, while the Cadillac took 13.8 seconds, losing to the Hummer and the F-150 Lightning.
There’s no doubt the Cadillac Escalade V is a phenomenally powerful SUV, but it can’t beat the F-150 Lightning or Hummer EV. The high altitude may play a small role in the SUV’s ride, but the electric powertrain’s instantaneous torque is hard to beat. Electric vehicles have the advantage when it comes to performance, but often at the expense of range, a metric every automaker is trying to extend.
