BinaryWolf

Green Hummer

The General Motors Hummer off-road-vehicle is known for its in-your-face styling and off-road performance. It’s also known for poor fuel economy. GM believes it can improve both Hummer’s image and fuel economy.

Congress is about to boost corporate average fuel economy, or CAFE. The H2 Hummer is currently exempt from CAFE regulations because its gross vehicle weight exceeds 8,500 pounds. But in 2011, the exemption for big trucks is scheduled to rise to 10,000 pounds.

At 13-14 mpg the H2 Hummer has a fuel economy problem.

GM plans on introducing a mix of engines that run on diesel fuel or ethanol blends. The automaker also is expected to introduce a smaller, more fuel-efficient model code named H4, that will be smaller and cheaper than Hummer’s H3 model.

For the 2009 model year, the H2 will be configured to run on E85, a blend of ethanol and gasoline. A year later, the H3 adds E85 capability. And in model year 2011, look for a line of diesel-powered trucks.

“Green” Hummers will not cause environmentalists to trade in their Prius, but any step towards reducing oil consumption is a step in the right direction.

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