Hummer H3 Plugin Hybrid Gets 100 MPG, Kicks Prius Butt

[EMF]

Making lemonade from lemons I guess....

Source with pics and video: http://gas2.org/2009/04/21/hummer-h3-plugin-hybrid-gets-100-mpg-kicks-prius-butt/

The vehicle is propelled by a 200 kW Symetron Enhanced AC induction motor hooked directly to the transmission, which is still connected to the all-wheel-drive system. According to Raser, it’s one of the most powerful passenger vehicle electric motors offered today and the whole system has near zero emissions. Also, the traction motor will support regenerative braking.

“If we put this powertrain in smaller vehicles down the road,” West said, “you could expect about 400 miles per gallon for the average (city) consumer.”

The V-8 combustion engine has been replaced by a small stand-alone 4 cylinder 2.0L engine which is only connected to the 100 kW Symetron PM Synchronous generator, and not the drive system. The engine is used only generate electricity and recharge the batteries when the vehicle drives beyond its 40 mile battery range and the lithium ion batteries are spent.

Three liquid cooled lithium ion battery packs are mounted between the frame rails and can be charged with a standard 110-volt household outlet. For a quicker charging 220-volt outlets are also supported. A full charge will take between 3 and 10 hours.

This plugin hybrid drive-system was designed by Raser Technologies, but developed by FEV, Inc. But is a 100 mpg Hummer enough to change the minds of the 30,000 industry specialists, engineers and business leaders who will be attending SAE?

No gas is used up to 40 miles. At 50 miles a day, the vehicle would still get 185 miles to the gallon. For 60 it’s 100 miles per gallon and over 200 miles the miles per gallon goes down to 33.

 

[spinningmagnets]

There was a discussion recently on another forum about GM restructuring. Plymouth (Chrysler) and Oldsmobile (GM) are the most recent marques to be shut down.

When Plymouth was shut down, the Prowler was re-badged as a Chrysler (why not Dodge?) and this is an active topic of conversation. Saab, Saturn, Pontiac, and Hummer are often cited as being so unprofitable, they will require shutting them down for Chevy, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC (industrial) trucks to survive.

Several enthusiasts (such as myself) felt the Pontiac G8 (rear-drive/V8/4-door) and smallest Hummer (competition for Jeep/bronco) would be re-badged and these models would survive. If what you posted actually performs as stated, I am even more assured that the smallest Hummer will survive. I guess we'll see....

 

[EMF]

When reading articles like this- if the products do see the light of day and are affordable-I think it could save the auto industry.

It reminds me of the computer industry in that we see a product come to market, then shortly after a newer better faster cheaper product is announced. I hope this is the case.

I think the electric twist on cars could possibly do the trick. With gas powered autos- they have pretty much wrung all the performance that can out of the platform. With all our high tech electronic and also the rapidly evolving battery tech- we might see some really exciting products.

 

[PaulM]

No mention of price, for obvious reasons . . .

 

[Toshi]

No mention of price, for obvious reasons . . .

and their mileage calculations are entirely bunk! it looks like the steady-state mileage with the range extender is 30 mpg or below, and their "100 mpg" claim is made using the assumption of 60 miles a day: 40 miles electric range and 20 on the range extender. oh, and to them electricity is "free energy" that they don't account for in their mileage figure.

garbage.

i'd eat my hat if this thing were under 400 Wh/mile at 60 mph, and its sheer bulk and aerodynamics makes me very skeptical that it can achieve even 25 mpg in real world conditions in the range extender mode.

 

[dnmun]

the guvment needs to get the gas tax big enuff to make people change their habits, and make decisions we all have to live with in the future.

rationing too, let the poor sell their ration tickets to the rich if it is gonna be class to ride the fat cars. extra rations for providing carpool/shared ride services.

even waggoner said he thought $4 gas would help, the guvment is gonna make the unions build practical small cars, which they can if they wanna. or they will just give up in the fight with the banks and let the banks liquidate the assets, bingo.

if we had already been paying real road taxes for the last 3 decades, a lot of this transition would have already been made, the price of oil would have been contained because demand would be lower, and cultural adjustments would have already been established.

i rarely see young people buying fat cars, the soccer mom mega van pickup lifestyle in town needs to end.

imagine socker moms in tandem velomobiles with the kids in front and using electric assist. essentially illegal now by neglect over all these decades. we knew 30 years ago it would get this expensive, instead they built hummers.