Could GM turn Hummer "green"....

Now this is a total pipe dream but..

Was thinking what if they totally flipped the brand around..using HUMMER as the go green company at GM.

Showing that a true 4x4 can also be a leader in saving that enviroment it travels in.

The H2 gets the Tahoe's hybrid system..increasing the MPG and keeping the power it needs to run..and gives it the green it needs to loose the gas guzzler stigma..

the H3 gets maybe the same hybrid system (if it fits) or the same engine thats in the Malibu..(again if its fits or can be done)

and now the new green HUMMER..the H4..a small 2 door 4x4 almost like the Wrangler..it will have the first fully off road all electric drivetrain..with a backup engine. Very light and very spratan utilitarian in feel. It will be electric but it has a gas backup.. The engine will kick in to give it some extra HP or turn on when the battery goes low.
Also with all the models a new intergrated roof solar panel that charges the batteries for all the cars just by being parked..or use it to charge while on the go..
Just popped in my head..and I know this stuff would probably make HUMMER cost a lot more...
but just seeing what you guys thought..how far off would GM be to actually pull something like this off:p

The H3/H2 hybrid systems don't add enough MPG to make Hummer "green". A wrangler like vehicle with a hybrid system for offroad use would probably make a big difference. I imagine a hybrid diesel system could save a ton of fuel on trials, particularly when you're essentially just standing on the brakes.

Still, not enough I think to save the brand.

GM has only sold something like 1000 Tahoe Hybrids. Not enough visibility to really change anyone's minds.

Besides IMO trying to "greenwash" Hummer would come off as completely inauthentic and probably backfire in terms of perception.

Set aside Hummer's image for a moment. The question now becomes, "Has Hummer ever turned a profit for GM?" I'm not talking about gross margains (which I'm sure were great during the heyday of the H2), but rather net profit for the division. There's all the expensive engineering, development, testing, and certification. There's tooling. There's the contract with AM General to build the H2. There's the dealer network, and the ad campaign. If you add 'em all up, you might find a billion dollars or so. And then if you assume a total production of 200k units for the Hummer brand (which might be an overestimate), you're look at overhead costs of $5k per unit.

Putting the Two Mode system into the H2 would be a colossal waste. I mean, if it's worth $10,000 to save some gasoline, then it's also worth some effort to clean up the vehicle's horrible aerodynamics and terrible packaging.

On the other hand, hybrid technology should perform very well under low speeds and high loads - which sounds a lot like off-roading. If indeed there's a way for GM to provide better fuel economy and demonstrate to people that efficiency doesn't need to impair function, I'm all for it.

H2 2mode hybrid could get maybe 18/18mpg :shrug: not too green.

The best way to go green is too drop weight. Put the H2 on the Pontiac Vibe AWD platform and add a hybrid power train and there you go. But of course no real Hummer/off-road enthusiast would want a Hummer badged Vibe.

GM could save Hummer if they came out with a small Jeep Wrangler sized 4X4 powered by a turbo Ecotec. Imagine a Wrangler with Hummer styling. Start out with a two-door convertible with optional hardtop. Then add a truck-like version with a bed and a 4-door based off a stretched wheelbase of the base 4x4 two-door.

Of course they'd need to develop a platform first because I don't believe the current H3 platform would work... or would it? :think:

I don't think GM wants to kill another division, as it'll cost em at the dealer end.

But as Eric said, the whole division needs to become more profitable - especially right now when GM is limping and trucks are *not* selling. Hummer has the huge stigma of gas guzzling monstrosities, and that is what people want to avoid.

A wrangler-sized vehicle with the LNF or an I4 TDI motor might work, but the development for such a vehicle is money better spent elsewhere I think. :think:

H2 2mode hybrid could get maybe 18/18mpg :shrug: not too green.

The Tahoe hybrid only gets 20/21 with much more favorable gearing, smaller tires, weight reduction measures, and improved aerodynamics. I seriously doubt that throwing a hybrid system at the H2 would yield much more than 15 MPG. Of course, the fuel savings per mile would far outstrip any other hybrid :lol: