Confirmed: HUMMER buyer plans new green model
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]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Cellien 8:06PM (6/16/2009)
The only reason I might not actually buy one of these is that it's a Chinese company. I have a hard time getting over a foreign company owning such an iconic American brand.
Please, save your breath if you're just planning on replying with a post like "YEAH, MOAR LIKE EYECONIK GAZGUZZLER HAR HAR."
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ShaunneyCakes 8:39PM (6/16/2009)
The only thing I question is what they are referring to as a "green" car. Does this mean that they will only ad a diesel and call it a day? Or is this going to be a hybrid and/or fully ev vehicle. I think they should focus on a range extended or hybrid diesel myself. But for the worlds sake, I hope they succeed, there are many people who will only drive large vehicles and the greener, the better.
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Serge 9:48AM (6/17/2009)
I vote for EV + Diesel Range Extender
Or EV + Multi Fuel Turbine for military application.
Anth 8:55PM (6/16/2009)
Why dont they buy Raser/FEV's tech? They've got an E-REV H3.
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Mel 11:52AM (6/17/2009)
I think they rather just copy it without paying for anything....
oldraven 9:26AM (6/17/2009)
I've been saying for well over a year on every auto news and enthusiast site I'm on that if Hummer were to go fully E-flex (Voltec) then they would be unstoppable. People still desire these things, but can't get over the social hatred and cost of ownership. Besides, what would be a better place to put a fully electric powertrain with a diesel generator than in a rock crawler? Imagine the approach angles when you have no axles or driveshafts. Don't worry about unsprung weight; it'll help with an offroad machine. The only thing to worry about is cooling, since the electric motor would have to be fully moisture sealed for bogging.
I should be getting paid to do this crap. I actually remember talking about an EV with a smaller battery and a generator onboard at least a year before GM unveiled the Volt concept. Maybe it's all just common sense, and it takes the automakers a little longer than us regular folk to figure this all out.
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Serge 9:46AM (6/17/2009)
second that, oldraven. EVs (with Ranger Extender or not) are a natural fit for off-road vehicles. In addition to benefits you listed, imagine the ability to precisely control torque at every wheel?
Cooling is less of an issue with electric motors due to high efficiencies. Electric motor in Tesla Roadster is air-cooled. HummER-EV can have four -- 3 more heatsinks.
In fact, military should be very interested in this concept. Four motors = crawl home redundancy (assuming other systems are engineered with redundancy in mind). More fuel efficiency = less supply chain burden. And you have that stealth EV mode, where diesel generator shuts off.