How to save Hummer

So the now nicknamed “Government Motors” announced today that Hummer will no longer be a part of the General’s family.  Too bad, too, because Hummer was poised to make a comeback.

I find it unfortunate that GM has had to shed brands like a cat losing its winter coat.  Only a year ago I started driving a ‘99 Pontiac Sunfire, just to hear ten months later that GM is killing the brand.

We Americans love big cars, and nothing embodied that like the Hummers.  I know many won’t like hearing this, but our love affair with monstrous vehicles will not go away just because some speculators say it will.  People don’t just change simply because one person says they might.

Hummer has found itself as the single most recognizable full-size luxury SUV in the world.  And I think GM should’ve jumped on that.

Since Hummers are already luxury-class vehicles, and their typical buyers clearly have little problem with paying extra on them.  This makes it justifiable to add just one extra trim level…

For your consideration, I present the Hummer HEV.

I can tell many of you aren’t convinced.  Just stay with me a moment.

The Hummer HEV is propelled by four electric motors.  What’s remarkable about these motors is that they are mounted inside the wheels.  With this configuration, the HEV maintains all-wheel drive capability while acquiring the benefits of electric motors, meaning this beast can still conquer any course the original H1 can run.

Electronic stability control takes on a whole new meaning with the HEV.  Sophisticated computer controls manage each motor individually to keep the wheels on the road at all times.  At cruising speeds, the controller de-activates the two front motors, providing rear-wheel drive performance.

Powering these marvelous motors is the same lithium-ion battery pack from the Chevy Volt.  The HEV will travel 30-35 miles on battery power alone, depending on driving habits.  After that, a small-displacement 4-cylinder engine activates to recharge the battery in mid-drive, propelling the HEV an additional 340-400 miles, all while maintaining the capabilities of the four powerful electric motors.

Needless to say, this is not a real production vehicle.  Hell, this isn’t even a concept from GM.  And that’s what bothers me.  GM is in a prime position to capitalize on the full-size electric SUV market that’s bound to erupt once EVs become popular, and they went and sold the perfect brand with which to launch such a platform.

Why was the Hummer perfect?  Because it’s big!!  Look at those wheels, for goodness sake!  Expand the rims a bit and you could easily fit some in-wheel motors in there!

 

As for the battery pack required to drive those four in-wheel motors, the Hummer could easily make space in the engine compartment, especially since it would be swapping out it’s giant engine for a smallish 4-cylinder.  And the Hummer already had a gigantic fuel tank, which would probably send it further than the 350 miles I estimated.

But this is all a moot point now.  All GM had to do was hold on to Hummer for 2 years, and the press hype about an EV Hummer would, by itself, force GM to keep Hummer as a staple brand.

But does anybody listen to me? Noooooo……

And I’m not ashamed to admit it.

The Pontiac Aztek’s design is starting to grow on me.  I’m not sure why.

Maybe if those wheel wells were more rounded…fill them in with slightly larger wheels…slant the nose a bit…

Yeah, a little tweaking was all it needed.  Shame.

Screw hybrids

For my first post in this new blog, I think I’ll pick apart the auto industry.

Cars with gas-electric hybrid powertrains are one of the worst freakin’ ideas on the planet.

I know what you’re gonna say.  “How dare you, you anti-environmental slimeball!”  But I understand.  That’s the natural reaction someone might have when a person says that.  What I don’t understand is why people still say that after I’ve explained myself.

But given the low probability of you changing your opinion of me, I’ll explain myself anyhow because it’s my blog and I can do what I want.  Here goes:

So hybrid powertrains came on the scene a few years ago with plenty of zeal to compensate for their lack of power.  Back in summer of ‘07, they got way more popular than should be legal when gross speculation drove gas prices way the hell up there.  Come the following fall, however, prices went back to normal and the market was prime to buy pure piston power.

But the gas price paranoia lingered, and every automaker (except sensible ones like Aston Martin or Lamborghini), dove headlong into the hybrid pool.

Now, I have nothing against the rush to develop hybrids.  That’s just response to market trends and is a fine example of our fine capitalist system.

But what I don’t like is this boresight focus on just hybrids.  Sure, there’s ethanol and hydrogen, but one is a step backwards in practice and the other is years away from standardization and integration into the marketplace.  And try as they might to market them as the wave of the future, gas-electric drive-trains seem more like one of the band-aids that earned John Kerry his Purple Hearts.

Don’t get me wrong.  I think applying new tech to the tried and true internal combustion paradigm is cool, but I also think we’re going about it the wrong way.

See, while everyone and his brother are so focused with having the piston engine and electric motor share a connection to the drive axle, they’re coming out with a mix that’s less than the sum of its parts.

As a side note, it seems they’re sacrificing utility for novelty.  I’ve noticed that every hybrid available today (except the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango, at right) comes in the form of a hatchback, midsize sedan, or crossover.  Where are the people movers?  Where’s the hybrid minivan, dammit?

But out of all these band-aids, I’m finally seeing some real heart transplants, and they’re coming from four companies: Tesla, Fisker, GM and Chrysler.  Yes, these are the the people with guts to look further ahead, and ironically two of them are in trouble for it.

These guys know that gas-electric powertrains are a temporary measure, and they’re going ahead to pure electric propulsion.  Where are they you ask?  Well, right now the only one available is the Tesla Roadster at over $100K a pop.  It won’t be alone for long, because the Fisker Karma (at left) is well on its way, and assuming the parent companies survive scrutiny, so are the Dodge Circuit and Chevy Volt.

Now I could just tell you that strapping an electric motor to the drive axle is just flat out better and have you take my word for it, but that’s not good enough for anybody these days.

The biggest advantage to an electric motor is its torque.  Even the most powerful of V8 big blocks needs to get the RPMs up there to truly demonstrate its acceleration power.  Electric motors, on the other hand, have full torque from a standing start with little tire slip.  How’s that for a jackrabbit start?

Now electric drivetrains do have a drawback, and it’s in their power source.  Just like the tank that feeds an engine can run out of fuel, the batteries that power a motor will lose their charge until they’ve been recharged, and current concepts rate themselves at 150-200 miles per charge (which is still an impressive number, mind you).  Sure, they could go further with bigger battery packs, but then you run the risk of moving the decimal point a space or two to the right in the retail price.

To get around the short range of EVs, I think GM and Fisker stumbled on a pretty good solution.  In addition to the battery powered electric motor, they’ve added a small displacement piston engine.  But this engine doesn’t turn the wheels.  Instead, it turns a generator to recharge the batteries and extend the range.

And long range isn’t the only benefit.  In this setup, an extended range electric vehicle gets, gallon for gallon, way better mileage than a hybrid.  And that’s while it keeps the performance of an EV.

So that’s my reason behind why I say that hybrids suck.  The Prius and all its kin-folk need to die.

Besides, who wouldn’t want to drive an electric mini-Viper?