Autoblog Green http://www.autobloggreen.com Autoblog Green http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog Green http://www.autobloggreen.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid and Dan RothThe podcast by the people who obsessively cover the auto industry.<![CDATA[Not Done Yet: Hummer H3, H3T get biofuel capability, new colors for 2010]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/06/not-done-yet-hummer-h3-h3t-get-biofuel-capability-new-colors/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/06/not-done-yet-hummer-h3-h3t-get-biofuel-capability-new-colors/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/11/06/not-done-yet-hummer-h3-h3t-get-biofuel-capability-new-colors/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2010 Hummer H3 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Can a Hummer be green? The brand that most obviously represents American excess in the minds of environmentalists - though Hummer's vehicles aren't actually any worse than any other large SUV - has seemingly been fighting off its negative stigma since shortly after the introduction of the larger-than-life H2. Part of the brand's hopeful transformation includes giving each model a flex-fuel variant, and the latest application of that principle is seen on the 2010 H3 and H3T.

Interestingly, the engine that gets the E85 capability is the largest and most powerful option: the 5.3-liter V8 as fitted to the top-level Alpha series and not the slightly more fuel efficient inline-five. In any case, anyone who ticks the V8 box on the options list will be blessed with 300 horsepower, 320 lb-ft of torque and the ability to pump ethanol into the tank if he or she should so desire.

Not green enough for you? Baby steps, people... Hummer CEO James Taylor (no, not that James Taylor) promises bigger eco steps in the near future, saying, "This is just the first step in Hummer's evolution to offer responsible, yet highly capable all-terrain vehicles. Future models will be lighter, more efficient and will continue to offer the best blend of off-road capability and on-road performance."

In related news, the 2010 Hummer H3 and H3T will be offered with three new premium exterior colors for 2010: Red Rock Metallic, Silver Stone Metallic, and Canyon Metallic. Huh, no green? Each of the three new hues can be seen in our photo gallery below. Enjoy!



[Source: Hummer]

Continue reading Not Done Yet: Hummer H3, H3T get biofuel capability, new colors for 2010

Not Done Yet: Hummer H3, H3T get biofuel capability, new colors for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 hummer h32010 hummer h3t2010HummerH32010HummerH3tflex fuelflex fuel h3flex fuel hummerflex-fuelflex-fuel h3flex-fuel hummerFlex-fuelH3Flex-fuelHummerFlexFuelFlexFuelH3FlexFuelHummerh3h3thummerhummer h3hummer h3tHummerH3HummerH3tFri, 06 Nov 2009 15:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Eating his words: Michael Pollan retracts Hummer-vegan/Prius-meat-eater comment]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/30/eating-his-words-michael-pollan-retracts-hummer-vegan-prius-mea/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/30/eating-his-words-michael-pollan-retracts-hummer-vegan-prius-mea/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/30/eating-his-words-michael-pollan-retracts-hummer-vegan-prius-mea/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Want to give your public pronouncement a little zing? Try throwing in the words Hummer and Prius and imply that the SUV is better for the earth than the Prius. CNW sure knows the value of making the false claim. Last week, author Michael Pollan tried a similar trick when he said at the 2009 Poptech conference that, "A vegan in a Hummer has a lighter carbon footprint than a beef eater in a Prius." Guess who's had to issue a mea culpa?

Pollan, who wrote The Botany of Desire, The Omnivore's Dilemma and other books, was blasted by people armed with facts. Specifically, Gidon Eshel and Pamela Martin from the University of Chicago found that shifting from eating meat to veganism saved about 2 tons of CO2 equivalent per person per year. A Hummer driver, on the other hand, emits 4.76 tons more per year than a Prius. Pollan later said that:

After digging into it further, and consulting Gidon Eschel, I don't feel comfortable defending [my earlier statement]. It's much more important to keep the focus on the central thrust of the environmental case against eating industrial meat, which is not in dispute and certainly does not stand or fall on the case of the vegan Hummer driver.

We're not against people making attention-getting statements for effect, but what's with constantly attacking the Prius? Can't a car just get 50 MPG in peace?

[Source: HybridCars]

Eating his words: Michael Pollan retracts Hummer-vegan/Prius-meat-eater comment originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>michael pollanMichaelPollanprius hummerPriusHummerveganveganismFri, 30 Oct 2009 11:56:00 EST<![CDATA[AM General to build CNG-powered VPG MV-1 people-mover at Hummer H2 factory]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/21/am-general-to-build-cng-powered-vpg-mv-1-people-mover-at-hummer/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/21/am-general-to-build-cng-powered-vpg-mv-1-people-mover-at-hummer/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/21/am-general-to-build-cng-powered-vpg-mv-1-people-mover-at-hummer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Vehicle Production Group MV-1 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Remember the Standard Taxi from the Vehicle Production Group? It's now called the MV-1, and production is slated to begin next year at the AM General plant in Mishawaka, Indiana. That's the same assembly location where the Hummer H2 is built, which makes sense since the MV-1 is based on the same GM underpinnings as the behemoth SUV.

According to its makers, the MV-1 is the first purpose-built wheelchair-accessible vehicle in America, and it's able to accommodate up to six adults or two full-size wheelchairs. An ADA-approved ramp that stows under the vehicle's floor and a 36-inch wide side opening are designed to make entry and exit a simple affair.

With its body-on-frame construction made with fully boxed rails, the MV-1 should prove to be a durable people mover and its well-known GM drivetrain components should be easily serviceable. Further, VPG has teamed up with Clean Energy to develop a dedicated compressed natural gas powertrain option that will provide a 250-mile range with significantly reduced emissions.

Styling wise, the MV-1 may not be the prettiest machine on the road, but for those needing to transport wheelchair-bound passengers, this design may just be a thing of beauty. See for yourself in our high-res image gallery below.



[Source: VPG Autos, Detroit Free Press]

AM General to build CNG-powered VPG MV-1 people-mover at Hummer H2 factory originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cng taxiCngTaxicompressed natural gasCompressedNaturalGasmv-1standard taxiStandardTaxivehicle production groupvehicle production group mv-1VehicleProductionGroupVehicleProductionGroupMv-1vpgwheelchairwheelchair accessiblewheelchair accessible carwheelchair accessible taxiWheelchairAccessWheelchairAccessibleWheelchairAccessibleCarWheelchairAccessibleTaxiWed, 21 Oct 2009 14:01:00 EST<![CDATA[GM sells HUMMER to Tengzhong for $150M, what happens to the vitriol?]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/09/gm-sells-hummer-to-tengzhong-for-150m-what-happens-to-the/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/09/gm-sells-hummer-to-tengzhong-for-150m-what-happens-to-the/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/10/09/gm-sells-hummer-to-tengzhong-for-150m-what-happens-to-the/#commentsFiled under: ,


Hummer HX Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Tengzhong's plan to make a green Hummer can now officially move forward. GM and the China's Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery company announced today that a deal to sell off the brand is complete. For $150 million, Tengzhong will take an 80 percent stake, a private investor will get the rest, and GM is rid of one of the most controversial automobile brands ever. Sort of, the deal is set up so that Tengzhong will contract vehicle manufacturing from GM through at least June 2011. U.S. and Chinese regulators still need to approve the deal.

What controversy? Well, there was the whole Prius vs. Hummer thing, which has thankfully died down. And then all those torched Hummers at dealerships - recreated, in a sense, with the Bummer Hummer. Whatever the history, Hummer is now a Chinese brand; it'll be interesting to see how and if the vitriol that has long been aimed at GM translates to the new owners. Tengzhong has previously stated it is investigating biofuels, hybrids and fully electric machines.

Gallery: Detroit 2008: HUMMER HX Concept


[Source: GM]

Continue reading GM sells HUMMER to Tengzhong for $150M, what happens to the vitriol?

GM sells HUMMER to Tengzhong for $150M, what happens to the vitriol? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hummerhummer gmhummer salehummer sale chinahummer tengzhongHummerGmHummerSaleHummerSaleChinaHummerTengzhongtengzhongtengzhong hummerTengzhongHummerFri, 09 Oct 2009 13:59:00 EST<![CDATA[STUDY: Hummer owners believe they've made "a highly moral consumption choice"]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/09/25/study-hummer-owners-believe-theyve-made-a-highly-moral-consum/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/09/25/study-hummer-owners-believe-theyve-made-a-highly-moral-consum/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/09/25/study-hummer-owners-believe-theyve-made-a-highly-moral-consum/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



There probably isn't any one passenger vehicle on earth that earns more ire from environmentalists than the Hummer H2. While the reality of the matter is that most Hummers aren't really much worse when it comes to fuel mileage and overall emissions than any other giant SUV (most civilian Hummers are, in fact, based largely on truck platforms from General Motors) the brand has seemingly been made into the poster child of American excess.

Interestingly, however, according to a small study of 20 Hummer owners published in the Journal of Consumer Research, that stigma may actually be a selling point for those who purchase Hummers. According to the authors of the study:
As we studied American Hummer owners and their ideological beliefs, we found that they consider Hummer driving a highly moral consumption choice. For Hummer owners it is possible to claim the moral high ground... The moralistic critique of their consumption choices readily inspired Hummer owners to adopt the role of the moral protagonist who defends American national ideals.
Interesting, no? It's hard to argue that this report offers a conclusive look into the minds of Hummer owners and Hummer haters alike - especially when the sample size is so small - and we doubt it's going to put an end to the debate over the seemingly conflicting rights of Americans to purchase the vehicle of their choice, consume or conserve whatever resources they deem necessary and breathe clean air. That said, it's an interesting bit of research, no?

[Source: Journal of Consumer Research - sub. req'd; via Wired]

STUDY: Hummer owners believe they've made "a highly moral consumption choice" originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>h1h2h3hummerhummer h1hummer h2hummer h3HummerH1HummerH2HummerH3Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Confirmed: HUMMER buyer plans new green model]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/16/confirmed-hummer-buyer-plans-new-green-model/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/16/confirmed-hummer-buyer-plans-new-green-model/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/16/confirmed-hummer-buyer-plans-new-green-model/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Hummer HX Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Despite what could be construed as opposition by the Chinese government towards Tengzhong's bid to purchase the HUMMER division from General Motors, the company is still working towards finalizing the sale by October of this year and on future environmentally-friendly models. According to Yang Yi, the firm's general manager:
We want to make a green HUMMER. We think the Hummer has huge potential in emerging markets. Tengzhong and HUMMER are very aware of the government's fuel-efficiency requirements. HUMMER has already achieved substantial progress in this area.
Last year, GM's SUV-centric brand showed off a concept for a downsized HUMMER called the HX, which would likely be known as the H4 if it were ever to enter into production. Jim Taylor, currently head of HUMMER's operations and likely to stay on after the brand's sale to Tengzhong, has previously stated that the brand is investigating biofuels, hybrids and fully electric machines.

Gallery: Detroit 2008: HUMMER HX Concept


[Source: Autocar]

Confirmed: HUMMER buyer plans new green model originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric hummerElectricHummergreen hummerGreenHummerhummerhummer biofuelshummer h4hummer hxhummer hybridHummerBiofuelsHummerH4HummerHxHummerHybridTue, 16 Jun 2009 18:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Is selling HUMMER the morally correct thing to do? [w/POLL]]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/09/is-selling-hummer-the-moral-thing-to-do/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/09/is-selling-hummer-the-moral-thing-to-do/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/09/is-selling-hummer-the-moral-thing-to-do/#commentsFiled under: , ,



GM's potential sale of HUMMER to Tengzhong is probably good news for those interested in seeing the company return to independent and profitable status as quickly as possible (and also Rush Limbaugh). GM can shed the negative political association of the land monsters and get some money in return. There is actually a better option, says the New York Times' Ethicist.

The Ethicist frames the issue as figuring out which is more important: GM's emloyees and shareholders (i.e., the American public) or the environment. HUMMER vehicles are too heavy and use too much gas and, the Ethicist says, hazardous products should be regulated by the government. Now that the government basically owns HUMMER, there is "an opportunity to reconsider transportation policy, including from a moral perspective. Such an analysis urges not merely discontinuing the Hummer but also significantly reducing our reliance on the private car." Here's more:
Shutting down Hummer could even turn out to be cost-effective. The sale price, perhaps as much as $500 million, may well be dwarfed by the long-term costs - in environmental damage, in public health - to us taxpayers, G.M.'s majority owners, of keeping those three tons of steel on the road. [...] The restructuring of G.M. gives us a chance to avert the fate of being laid low by our own automobiles, the grand manifestation of America's industrial might. The first thing we do, let's kill all the Hummers.
So, what's the right thing to do here?

View Poll



Gallery: Detroit 2008: HUMMER HX Concept


[Source: The Ethicist]

Is selling HUMMER the morally correct thing to do? [w/POLL] originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hummerhummer chinahummer salehummer sale chinahummer tengzhongHummerChinaHummerSaleHummerSaleChinaHummerTengzhongtengzhongtengzhong hummerTengzhongHummerTue, 09 Jun 2009 13:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Xinhua: Hummer is "an exaggerated and extreme example of a disregard for the environment"]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/09/xinhua-hummer-is-an-exaggerated-and-extreme-example-of-a-disreg/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/09/xinhua-hummer-is-an-exaggerated-and-extreme-example-of-a-disreg/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/09/xinhua-hummer-is-an-exaggerated-and-extreme-example-of-a-disreg/#commentsFiled under: , ,



General Motors' HUMMER division has long been the whipping boy of the environmental movement, and now even the Chinese government seems to be getting in on the act. Quoting Richard Wottrich, International Managing Director at investment banking firm Dresner Partners, the state-run Chinese media outlet Xinhua starts out a story on Tengzhong's bid to purchase the SUV maker from GM this way:
General Motors' HUMMER is considered as an exaggerated and extreme example of a disregard for the environment and there are significant brand negatives for the Chinese company Tengzhong to buy it. The vehicle is too big, uses too much gas, and is viewed as a toy for the rich. These are rather significant brand negatives for the Chinese company Tengzhong to consider. HUMMER is a difficult brand name to reconcile with current global conditions and political thought.
Well, that doesn't sound too hot, does it? Wottrich goes on to give sound reasoning behind GM's decision to offload the brand and suggests that these same issues may be reason enough to give Tengzhong pause when considering its purchase. Before any deal can go through between Tenzhong and GM, the Chinese government must grant its seal of approval, and that's no sure thing.

[Source: Xinhua]

Xinhua: Hummer is "an exaggerated and extreme example of a disregard for the environment" originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinese hummer saleChineseHummerSalehummerhummer salehummer sale chinaHummerSaleHummerSaleChinatengzhongTue, 09 Jun 2009 09:36:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Independent Hummer sees alt-fuel model within five years, still looking at H4]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/04/report-independent-hummer-sees-alt-fuel-model-within-five-years/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/04/report-independent-hummer-sees-alt-fuel-model-within-five-years/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/04/report-independent-hummer-sees-alt-fuel-model-within-five-years/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Hummer HX Concept - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Now that General Motors has officially offloaded the HUMMER brand to Chinese machinery and equipment manufacturer Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company Ltd., the next logical question is where does the brand go from here? Perhaps the best person to answer that question would be Jim Taylor, the man who was put in charge of the brand to get it ready for sale and who will reportedly stay on to lead HUMMER under its new ownership.

Speaking in an interview with Paul Eisenstein from The Detroit Bureau, Taylor had plenty of interesting things to say about HUMMER's future. For instance, he said, "We need to head towards CAFE compliance - which means smaller and more fuel efficient, or we're dialed out. Think of the smaller H4 we were showing at the auto show and it could safely conjectured we would enter into that space."

He further suggests that "a ground-up hybrid or electric vehicle, [would] make a lot of sense for the Hummer brand" since it "would help us change our image." What are the chances we'll see an electric, hybrid or otherwise alternatively-fueled HUMMER within the next five years? "I think five years out, excellent, assured. It's 100%," says Taylor. (Maybe he should call these guys).

Admittedly, that's a lot to chew on. A more environmentally-friendly HUMMER would surely be a tough nut to crack, especially since the brand's followers will understandably expect future HUMMER models to uphold the rough-and-tumble, go-anywhere nature of the breed. It should prove very interesting to see how this all proceeds, and Taylor certainly has our interest piqued.


[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

REPORT: Independent Hummer sees alt-fuel model within five years, still looking at H4 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>diesel hummerDieselHummerelectric hummerElectricHummerhummerhummer h4hummer hxhummer hx conceptHummerH4HummerHxHummerHxConcepthybrid hummerHybridHummerThu, 04 Jun 2009 11:20:00 EST<![CDATA[GM in talks to sell HUMMER to Chinese company Tengzhong]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/03/gm-in-talks-to-sell-hummer-to-chinese-company-tengzhong/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/03/gm-in-talks-to-sell-hummer-to-chinese-company-tengzhong/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/03/gm-in-talks-to-sell-hummer-to-chinese-company-tengzhong/#commentsFiled under: , ,



When GM finds a buyer for the HUMMER brand, its CAFE levels will be affected in a positive (if very minor, because the H2 is not counted in CAFE figures) way. This isn't the only reason why the General might want to shed itself of the large vehicle division - it's a political liability, too - but every little bit helps. In any case, that anyone is interested in buying a GM product right now is good news for the company, so the current discussions between GM and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd, a Chinese company, about a potential HUMMER sale must be being watched with bated breath in Detroit.

A statement put out by GM says that there is a proposed transaction on the table for Tengzhong to acquire the brand and the senior management and operational team as well as dealership agreements. For now, the thought is that Tengzhong would contract assembly and component and material supply back to GM, and GM is saying that the deal could save "more than 3,000 US jobs." Tengzhong's CEO said that his company is interested in evolving HUMMER so that it blends the whole constructed adventure/freedom image with "new products such as more fuel-efficient vehicles in the U.S."

AutoblogGreen reader Steve W. wrote in about the news and asked a few important questions:
With only 3000 jobs at risk, wouldn't it be better (for the environment) to just let Hummer die? I guess GM is trying to get every last penny they can for anything anyone is willing to pay for :(
What happens to the contract for US military vehicles, or are they built by another company now?
We'll look into this, especially the military angle, but if anyone has any information to share, please do so in the comments below.

Gallery: Detroit 2008: HUMMER HX Concept


[Source: GM]

Continue reading GM in talks to sell HUMMER to Chinese company Tengzhong

GM in talks to sell HUMMER to Chinese company Tengzhong originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hummerhummer cafehummer chinahummer saleHummerCafeHummerChinaHummerSaleWed, 03 Jun 2009 13:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Americans "need" big trucks, says Sen. Hatch, and the Raser Hummer EV is just right]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/22/americans-need-big-trucks-says-sen-hatch/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/22/americans-need-big-trucks-says-sen-hatch/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/22/americans-need-big-trucks-says-sen-hatch/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Raser Technolgies plug-in HUMMER H3 - Click above for a high-res gallery

Worried that the Obama Administration's latest CAFE requirements will put the hurt to big trucks? Fret not, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) has got your back. At an event held in the nation's capital, Hatch got the chance to pilot the extended-range electric HUMMER H3 from Raser Technologies that was debuted at the SAE World Congress earlier this year.

According to Hatch (via Green Car Advisor), "[This electric H3] is specifically designed for America's best-selling vehicle class -- SUVs and trucks," and he further states that efforts to help the U.S. auto industry recover "must address our real need for larger vehicles."

Ignoring the comment about SUVs and trucks being the most popular class of vehicles, which isn't entirely accurate, we agree with Hatch's assessment that there are some Americans that really do need these large vehicles, though that number is likely extremely small.

That said, Raser's HUMMER EV is an impressive piece of engineering. Using a 2.0-liter GM-supplied turbocharged and direct injected four-cylinder engine driving a 100 kW generator, this particular H3 can travel 40 miles at a time without using a single drop of gas and another 400 miles after the gas tank runs dry. For what it's worth, if driven 60 miles per day - 40 miles on the battery plus 20 miles with the range-extender humming away - Raser estimates its H3 will return 100 mpg.

Still, the simple truth is that the same drivetrain combination in a more efficient vehicle platform will return even better figures, or, alternatively, the same figures with a smaller battery pack. In fact, assuming the Fisker Karma and Chevy Volt hit the market as planned, that's exactly what will happen. Click past the break for a video of Raser's H3 in action.

Gallery: Raser Technologies electric Hummer H3


[Source: Green Car Advisor]

Continue reading Americans "need" big trucks, says Sen. Hatch, and the Raser Hummer EV is just right

Americans "need" big trucks, says Sen. Hatch, and the Raser Hummer EV is just right originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 22 May 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric hummerelectric hummer h3ElectricHummerElectricHummerH3featuredorrin hatchOrrinHatchplug-inplug-in hummerplug-in hybridPlug-inHummerPlug-inHybridraserraser hummerraser plug in hybridraser technologiesraser-phevRaserHummerRaserPlugInHybridRaserTechnologiesFri, 22 May 2009 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[SAE 2009: Raser unveils 100 mpg ER-EV Hummer H3 prototype]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/04/21/sae-2009-raser-unveils-100-mpg-er-ev-hummer-h3-prototype/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/04/21/sae-2009-raser-unveils-100-mpg-er-ev-hummer-h3-prototype/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/04/21/sae-2009-raser-unveils-100-mpg-er-ev-hummer-h3-prototype/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for a high res gallery of the Raser electric Hummer H3

Raser Technologies unveiled the prototype vehicle for its extended range electric vehicle yesterday morning at the SAE World Congress. Raser and development partners FEV took the iconic bad boy of the environmental movement, a Hummer H3 and merged it with a powertrain very much like what's in a Fisker Karma. This prototype electric H3 has a 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct injected EcoTec just like the Karma driving a 100 kW generator. The generator provides electricity to the batteries and the 200 kW drive motor.

Like the Karma and the Chevy Volt, the motor along with a lithium ion battery pack is the only source of propulsion to the wheels. The H3 has three lithium ion battery packs arrayed under the rear end of the vehicle. The batteries can move the Hummer for 40 miles before the range extender has to start up. Beyond that, it has a 400-mile range. Based on 60 miles of daily driving (40 miles of battery plus 20 miles of range extension) Raser estimates the H3 will get 100 mpg. Raser is talking to several automakers about applications for its ER-EV system and expects to have a deal soon. The company will build several of the trucks for Southern California Edison's test fleet in the next year and hopes to have a low volume series production program by 2011.

Gallery: Raser Technologies electric Hummer H3

Continue reading SAE 2009: Raser unveils 100 mpg ER-EV Hummer H3 prototype

SAE 2009: Raser unveils 100 mpg ER-EV Hummer H3 prototype originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric hummerElectricHummerraserraser technologiesraser-fevraser-phevraser-plug-in-hybridrasertechnologiesTue, 21 Apr 2009 11:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Does a scooter pollute more than a HUMMER? Not likely]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/04/14/does-a-scooter-pollute-more-than-a-hummer-not-likely/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/04/14/does-a-scooter-pollute-more-than-a-hummer-not-likely/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/04/14/does-a-scooter-pollute-more-than-a-hummer-not-likely/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


We've run across recent reports on the internet that suggest that scooters pollute more than HUMMERS (any SUV, really). If true, that would be a shot across the bow of many scooterists who like to think they are making a conscious effort to have a smaller impact on the environment. So, is it true? Not likely, but, as is often the case, it's not an entirely cut-and-dry issue.

The real question centers around the kind of engine that happens to power a specific scooter. As discussed many times on this website, older European scooters from the likes of Vespa and Lambretta used carburetted 2-stroke engines with nary an environmental standard to adhere to. Today, things are different. Nearly every scooter (including recent Vespas) sold in America at present is equipped with a clean-burning and fully modern 4-stroke engine with fuel injection.

Also, there is a difference between carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants that is often overlooked. The amount of carbon dioxide spewing out of a vehicle's tailpipe is directly proportionate to how much fuel is being burned. So, a more fuel efficient vehicle will emit less CO2. Other factors like hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides can vary widely and don't necessarily rise and fall with fuel efficiency.

As time goes on, motorcycles and scooters will need to meet the same emissions regulations as cars and trucks. Right now, not all scooters are created equally, but there are many more clean emitters being sold today that dirty, old-tech machines.

[Source: EcoGeek]

Does a scooter pollute more than a HUMMER? Not likely originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last week, we heard news that Raser had teamed up with FEV to develop a plug-in hybrid powertrain for large trucks, but we weren't yet sure what the first platform to get the extended-range electric hardware would be. Now, we know. Interested? Hint: it's from what's generally accepted as the least eco-friendly automaker in America. That's right, HUMMER.

In reality, using a large SUV like the HUMMER H3 as the basis for an electric vehicle isn't necessarily that far of a stretch. A good deal of space will be taken up by a battery large enough to provide 40 miles of range, a 200 kW electric motor and a 100 kW gasoline-powered engine. Even with its brick-like aerodynamics and heavy platform, Raser claims an equivalency of 100 miles per gallon or more.

Further, some people (though, likely, a very small number) really do need the capabilities of an SUV, and Raser claims that its EREV maintains its acceleration and towing capacities. Because the H3 shares much of its chassis with GM's midsize pickup trucks, the technology will likely be adaptable to that platform as well. The demonstration vehicle will be on display at the 2009 SAE World Congress in Detroit starting on April 20th.

[Source: Green Car Congress]

SAE 2009: Raser's PHEV is a 100 mpge HUMMER originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric hummerElectricHummerfeaturedhybrid hummerHybridHummerraser hummerraser plug in hybridraser technologiesRaserHummerRaserPlugInHybridRaserTechnologiesTue, 14 Apr 2009 08:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Mars Institute to drive HUMMER-based rover through Northwest Passage]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/03/20/mars-institute-to-drive-hummer-based-rover-through-northwest-pas/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/03/20/mars-institute-to-drive-hummer-based-rover-through-northwest-pas/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/03/20/mars-institute-to-drive-hummer-based-rover-through-northwest-pas/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It might seem a bit paradoxical to drive a HUMMER for 1,200 miles across the thin ice of the Northwest Passage with the goal of investigating climate change in the arctic circle, but that's exactly what a crew from the Mars Institute is planning to do. The team will be charting the thickness of the ice as it moves at about 12 miles per hour over the surface, but the information gathered during the trek will really just be a bonus. The team's first priority will be to see how the HUMMER-based rover fares in these harsh conditions. At some point, the Mars Institute hopes that this data will prove useful in helping NASA design human-toting vehicles that will be able to traverse the surface of Mars.

To assist the team's main diesel-powered vehicle, two snowmobiles will tag along to watch for cracks in the ice and to keep tabs on the HUMMER. This may be the last time a team is able to travel across the frozen Northwest Passage, so we wish them the best of luck.

[Sources: Mars Institute, Popular Mechanics]

Mars Institute to drive HUMMER-based rover through Northwest Passage originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>climate changeClimateChangehummermars institutemars roverMarsInstituteMarsRovernorthwest passageNorthwestPassagethe mars instituteTheMarsInstituteFri, 20 Mar 2009 11:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick considers "Hummer Tax"]]>http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/02/19/massachusetts-governor-deval-patrick-considers-hummer-tax/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/02/19/massachusetts-governor-deval-patrick-considers-hummer-tax/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/02/19/massachusetts-governor-deval-patrick-considers-hummer-tax/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick (D) is said to be considering adjusting registration fees skyward for large, gas-guzzling vehicles while discounting the same for fuel-saving models. The controversial legislation has earned the nickname "Hummer Tax" since it is rather obviously geared towards large SUVs like those sold by GM's struggling HUMMER division.

Opponents to the plan warn that the charges could have a disproportionately large impact on large families and small business owners that rely on large vehicles to perform their daily routines. On the other hand, proponents for the legislation highlight the fact that it's technology neutral, meaning that any vehicle that manages to save fuel over its competitors would qualify for the savings, regardless of what kind of fuel or technology is being used.

There are also movements within the current Massachusetts administration that hope to raise the state's gas tax or increase the price of tolls. One problem with a gas tax increase is that the move towards more fuel efficient vehicles would lower the amount of income the state is taking in, so an alternative plan would tax drivers based on mileage driven.

Gallery: AFVI Ride & Drive Ethanol Hummer



Massachusetts is also considering raising the state's fuel tax.

[Source: The Boston Globe]

Continue reading Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick considers "Hummer Tax"

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick considers "Hummer Tax" originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All things considered, it appears that we think of GM's 2,555 hybrid sales in December a success. GM's press release (posted after the jump) certainly makes it all smell like roses. The 2.5k deliveries are up from the 1,957 hybrids the General sold in September. At that time, GM was averaging about 1,000 hybrids a month for 2008, and the trend has been upward since then, and for all of 2008, GM sold 14,439 hybrid vehicles. Here's how December's hybrid sales broke down:

  • 981 Chevrolet Tahoe
  • 442 GMC Yukon
  • 306 Cadillac Escalade
  • 454 Chevrolet Malibu
  • 34 Saturn Aura
  • 338 Vue

For those of you keeping score against the HUMMER brand, sales in 2008 were down 50.9 percent compared to 2007. The General sold 55,986 H1, H2, and H3 models in 2007 and 27,485 in 2008 (including just 692 units of the new H3T model).

Gallery: 2008 GMC Yukon hybrid


[Source: GM]

Continue reading GM sold 2,555 hybrids in December, HUMMER sales cut in half

GM sold 2,555 hybrids in December, HUMMER sales cut in half originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One one hand, we have the HUMMER H2, which is pretty much the least green vehicle on the road; indeed, if the Prius is the standard bearer by which others are judged, the H2 is the pallbearer. On the other hand, we have liquefied petroleum gas. LPG, as it's more commonly referred, burns much cleaner than gasoline and just about any internal combustion engine can be converted to run on the fuel. What happens when you combine the two?

A German actor, appropriately named Jumbo Schreiner no less, has commissioned Geiger Cars, a longtime German tuning company, to build him just such an oddball machine. In addition to a 200-liter LPG tank out back, this HUMMER H2 has been jacked up an additional 10 inches and has massive 20-inch chrome alloys holding high rolling-resistance Toyo tires. To complete the atrocity, the entire vehicle has been sprayed in attention-grabbing burnt orange with contrasting blue XXL decals on each side. Green this is not, folks. Try again.

[Source: Inside Line]

Does an LPG conversion make this HUMMER green? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After taking a look at Autoblog's By the Numbers post for last month's U.S. sales figures, um, we need a drink. Seriously, it looks really bad. Except for one little bright spot from... drum roll please... MINI, yet again. As has been the case all year, the HUMMER brand was hit the hardest, falling an abysmal 66% in daily sales rate. MINI, on the other hand, scored a victory that's almost equally as impressive with a 50.6% daily sales rate increase.

Of course, the MINI brand couldn't possibly be any more opposed to the HUMMER marque. While the MINI Cooper manages to score fuel economy that's nearly comparable to the best in America, the HUMMER brand, and especially the H2 behemoth, frequently sees single-digit mileage numbers in testing. Although gas prices have indeed fallen off a bit as of late, that news wasn't enough to account for an increase in sales for the off-road specialist. It's been a rather rapid fall from grace, with the HUMMER brand selling more vehicles in September of last year than MINI.

[Source: Autoblog]

Broken record: MINI sales up, HUMMER sales down originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joining our compatriot over at Jalopnik, Ray Wert, on Thursday night's episode of The Colbert Report were individuals out to have a good time in their live axle-driven 'utes from the HUMMER Club. According to the members of the elite group, their SUVs represent everything that is right with America and deride the fact that "the Prius owners kinda stick their noses up at us, thinking we're damaging the environment," according to one member. These days, many people living in the U.S. are concerned about the future of their country. Fear not. "If we could save the HUMMER, we could save America," adds a HUMMER loving and very patriotic club-goer.

We're not going to jump on the idea that the HUMMER brand is worse than any other large, V8-powered off-road vehicle... it really isn't. The problem with HUMMERs is that nobody wants to go out and buy huge gas-guzzlers that they don't really need. Similar massive sales declines are happening across the board, and those vehicles are suffering the consequences as well. Oh yeah, and magic-wand technology is still decades away. Watch the video after the break.

[Source: The Colbert Report]

Continue reading Difference Makers! Patriots! The HUMMER Club goes on Colbert

Difference Makers! Patriots! The HUMMER Club goes on Colbert originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 25 Oct 2008 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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