100 MPG Hybrid Hummer
April 30, 2009 by Ambassador of Green
At the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress (SAE) in Detroit Utah-based Raser Technologies just unveiled its hybrid version of the Hummer H3 which they claim gets 100 miles to the gallon. The range-extended eco vehicle has an all-electric range of 40 miles with a hybrid 200 kW electric motor / 100 kW gasoline-powered engine.
With a 90 mph top speed, off-road capability and a lithium ion-battery that’s rechargeable in as little as three hours, the SUV maintains its acceleration, towing and off-road capacities. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a longtime Hummer enthusiast, praised the vehicle during a visit to the exhibition.
SEE VIDEO
With its smaller fuel tank of 11 gallons instead of 22, there’s plenty of room in the Raser H3 for the battery packs, which have a combined capacity of 40 kilowatt hours and weigh a whopping 600 pounds. The company claims other trucks can install the drivetrain and says it hopes to convert 2,000 vehicles by 2010. Its Hybrid Master Controller software that manages the engine, generator, motor and batteries flawlessly, or so they hope. With all the improvements Raser says its H3 is even greener than a Prius - but isn’t the whole point of a Hummer that it’s not eco-friendly? Proof. with the right stuff even a Brick of a car can go green.
Technology in New Electric Hummer Could Drive Bold Leap Ahead for U.S. Automakers, Making Popular Trucks & SUVs ‘Greener Than a Prius’ here is the sales-y-ish video loop for SAE SHOW:::
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WHO WHAT WHEN.
Raser Technologies, Inc. unveiled a 100+ mpg Hummer H3 powered by Raser’s plug-in hybrid E-REV (Extended-Range Electric Vehicle) at the 2009 SAE International World Congress, Cobo Center, Detroit, MI.
ITS A DEMO
Raser developed the 100+ mpg Electric H3 demonstration vehicle working closely with Hummer. Just one year ago at the 2008 SAE World Congress, Raser and its development partner FEV Inc., Auburn Hills, MI, a leading automotive integrator, introduced Raser’s E-REV power train, similar in function to the Chevy Volt but designed for use in a variety of larger full-sized SUVs and light trucks. The vehicle was developed in association with the Plug-in Hybrid Development Consortium, co-founded by Raser along with leading electric utilities, lithium ion battery companies and other automotive technology companies.
Raser CEO Brent M. Cook said,
“The technology in this electric-powered Hummer is a leap ahead for U.S. Automakers. It could make the nation’s popular light trucks and SUVs greener than a Prius.”
Estimated Electric Hummer H3 Fuel Economy
The vehicle has performed well in initial test drives and dynamometer testing conducted by FEV. Video from recent test drives of the 100+mpg H3 is available online: http://rasertech.com/hummer
The plug-in electric Hummer H3 has a range of about 400 miles, driving its first 40 miles exclusively on batteries before turning on its combustion generator. Most vehicles drive fewer than 40 miles a day, most drivers would rarely use gas and average more than 100 mpg in gas fuel economy over time.
Raser’s E-REV power train was designed for most full-sized 4WD SUVs and light trucks, which represent nearly half of the vehicles on U.S. roads today because of their versatility and wide application in fleets.
“We chose the Hummer H3 and H3T as demonstration vehicles because trucks and SUVs are the best-selling vehicles in America and can benefit the most from increased fuel economy and reduced emissions,” said Cook.
The Electric Hummer H3 is propelled entirely on electricity by Raser’s 200kW advanced AC induction motor connected to a 4WD transmission. A small high efficiency EcoTech engine uses Raser’s 100KW electric generator to recharge the batteries while driving and provides additional electric power when needed.
“Our goal was to demonstrate that electric vehicle technology is a viable solution for a variety of vehicle platforms,” said Gary Rogers, president and chief executive officer of FEV. “This full-sized SUV extended-range electric vehicle shows that fuel economy in larger vehicles does not mean sacrificing power and utility.”
ARNOLD
Overheard while at the SAE show photo op - “This thing is the proof that the right smarts can create the solutions we need NOW”
Ok… can you make it affordable now that you have proven you can create a HIGH MPG Green Machine, even if it is a brick?
We will work on that, anything is possible. This unit is such a powerful motor generator that you can run a street’s worth of homes off it during a blackout.
mmmmmmmk, let it rip. SoCal Rolling blackouts. .. No Girly cars for me.
More info: http://www.rasertech.com/media/videos/the-electric-h3
TheCoveMovie 
It uses the 2 liter ecotec engine for the ICE to run a 100kw generator.
The ecotec engine runs at a tuned for max peformance constant rpm and has low enough emissions that NO catalyic converter is needed, its quite low on noise levels and runs smoothly. The ECOTEC motor is an unheralded champion in this mix, nobody talks about it but its a proven sweet little powerplant.
right this probly costs $ 100 k right? and you cant get them. or its available in 2015.
They are already making Dodge and H3T for contractors right now. Price not known but they have been making these for customers in trucks, the battery is new as is the software system, so its still in beta.
due for release 2011
How do these guys at Raser come up with their 100 MPG? Simple, they claim that if you drive 60 miles per day that the first 40 is powered by electricity and the next 20 is provided by their 33 MPG onboard engine. Therefore, only 1/3 of the distance traveled was provided by gas at 33 MPG, so it’s as though you got the equivalent of 3 times 33 MPG, which equals 100 MPG.
Now let’s see what Raser isn’t telling you. First, their 200KW electric motor costs MONEY to operate! How much, you ask? Easy. If you drive 40 miles on electric power — half in the city and half on the freeway — you will spend about 1 hour driving (20 miles @ 30 MPH = 40 minutes, plus 20 miles @ 60 MPH = 20 minutes). Raser’s 200KW motor is rated at 100KW continuous, so 1 hour of driving will likely consume roughly 100KWH worth of electricity (100KW times 1 hour). The average cost of electricity in the U.S. is 11.5 cents/KWH; therefore 100KWH costs you $11.50, got it? That’s eleven dollars and fifty cents to go forty miles!!! Luckily, you get to go the next 20 miles on good old gasoline @ roughly 33 MPG, which would consume 6/10ths of a gallon of gas if the gas engine powered the vehicle directly. Unfortunately, it first has to power a generator, which then charges batteries, which then powers the electric motor. Still, lets be generous and assume that this gas engine takes you 20 miles on 2/3 of a gallon of gas, which costs $1.67 (2/3 times $2.50).
So the grand total to travel 60 miles in Raser’s shiny EREV (Extended Range Electric Vehicle) only cost you $13.17!!! Isn’t that great? Of course, you would’ve only spent $5.00 if you could’ve driven all of that distance powered by their good gas-mileage IC engine. Or you could’ve paid $7.50 in any vehicle that averaged 20 MPG. However, where’s the fun in that? Look, you’re driving a high tech “EREV”… ooooh! One that cost you an extra $25K, and that added an extra 1,000 pounds of weight to the vehicle. Nice extras, huh?? BTW, did I forget to mention that their 100KW motor only provides 134HP in continuous mode? But wait you say, it gives 268HP at peak operation. Yes, that’s about what the new Ford Taurus provides (except for the Ford Taurus SHO, which gives 350HP). So you’ll be riding around in your new EREV Hummer in a reduced 134-268HP powertrain… can you say “put, put, put”?
Does anyone see anything wrong with this?? Now do you see why Raser omitted mentioning the cost of electricity and only focused on their fuzzy-math MPG gas equivalent calculation? In reality, at today’s prices, their Hummer only got the equivalent of 11.4 MPG ($13.17 divided by $2.5/gallon = 5.27 gallons, and 60 miles/5.27 gallons = 11.4 MPG)!!!!!!!!
The fact is that electric vehicles have NOTHING to offer in solving America’s transportation needs. They are not cost-efficient nor are they technologically superior. The demand for electricity in the U.S. is expected to grow by a taxing 25% over the next decade. Raser’s Hummer draws 100KWH of electricity in order to travel it’s first 40 miles, which is well over 3 times the power that your house draws in a complete day! Talk about an instant energy crisis! It’s a good thing that battery technology is still limited and that they added an IC engine to extend the range, otherwise their Hummer would’ve used 150KWH of electricity, or more than 5 times the daily draw of an average home!!
This conveniently omitted information might explain why Raser has also entered the geothermal power market… they realize that switching to EV’s would require well over a 300% + increase to America’s annual electric power consumption.
My question is this, why couldn’t Raser be upfront and honest with us about the true costs of Electric Vehicles? Afterall, consumers have shown that they are willing to pay more for efficient green power.
Could their hesitancy in telling us the whole story be due to the fact that EV’s are neither cost-efficient nor green compared to standard IC engine technology?
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