Car Hacker’s Hummer Gets 60 MPG
If you haven’ heard of the Motorhead Messiah, Jonathan Goodwin, let me introduce you: he hacks cars for a living, and he can get 60 mpg out of an H3 Hummer while doubling the horsepower and cutting emissions in half. Unbelievable? Yes, but this is no joke, and it’s doesn’t defy the laws of physics either. The hacked H3 is a hybrid with the gasoline fuel system removed. In its place, Goodwin installed a biodiesel-burning jet turbine to recharge the electrical system:
Goodwin leads me over to a red 2005 H3 Hummer that’s up on jacks, its mechanicals removed. He aims to use the turbine to turn the Hummer into a tricked-out electric hybrid. Like most hybrids, it’ll have two engines, including an electric motor. But in this case, the second will be the turbine, Goodwin’s secret ingredient. Whenever the truck’s juice runs low, the turbine will roar into action for a few seconds, powering a generator with such gusto that it’ll recharge a set of “supercapacitor” batteries in seconds.This means the H3’s electric motor will be able to perform awesome feats of acceleration and power over and over again, like a Prius on steroids. What’s more, the turbine will burn biodiesel, a renewable fuel with much lower emissions than normal diesel; a hydrogen-injection system will then cut those low emissions in half. And when it’s time to fill the tank, he’ll be able to just pull up to the back of a diner and dump in its excess french-fry grease–as he does with his many other Hummers. Oh, yeah, he adds, the horsepower will double–from 300 to 600.
- » See also: Teenage-Built Diesel Hybrid Does 0-60 in 4 Seconds, Soon to Break 100 MPG
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Power and Efficiency? The notion seems contrary to everything we’ve seen from the auto industry in the last 20 years. But Goodwin is disproving the ’status quo’ by concrete example, the Hummer hybrid being one of many. He’s gotten 100 mpg out of a Lincoln continental and developed a bolt-on kit for diesel engines that doubles fuel economy and reduces emissions by 80%. Goodwin’s a model iconoclast, with a love for the environment and big vehicles.
So Goodwin decided to prove that environmentalism and power could go together–by making his new lemon into exhibit A. First, he pulled the gas engine so he could drop in a Duramax V8, GM’s core diesel for large trucks. Diesel technology is crucial to all of Goodwin’s innovations because it offers several advantages over traditional gasoline engines. Pound for pound, diesel offers more power and torque; it’s also inherently more efficient, offering up to 40% better mileage and 20% lower emissions in engines of comparable size. What’s more, many diesel engines can easily accept a wide range of biodiesel–from the high-quality stuff produced at refineries to the melted chicken grease siphoned off from the local KFC.
Goodwin’s endorsement of diesel engines makes sense, and he has a 3-part plan to wean the nation from gasoline. First, aggressively mass-produce diesel passenger vehicles. Converting just 1/3 of our nations passenger vehicles and light trucks to diesel would eliminate Saudi Arabian oil imports. Second, start producing diesel-electric hybrid cars, the holy-grail for biodiesel enthusiasts. After reading this article I’m convinced it’s possible (the whole ‘diesels are too heavy argument’ is ridiculous). And third, produce hybrids with a dual fuel mode, such as hydrogen or propane injection. I’ve heard of propane injection, which shoots a small amount of propane into the combustion chamber along the diesel fuel, increasing mileage, horsepower, and decreasing emissions.
“Detroit could do all this stuff overnight if it wanted to,” he adds.
For a thoroughly interesting read, see the FastCompany.com article (November 2007).
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[...] 9. Car Hacker’s Hummer Gets 60 MPG [...]
So why do they show a picture of an H1 when the article is about an H3? Apples and oranges.
More efficient alternatives are available, but the “Big Two” need even more Exlax to get things going! Fact is, Americans throw Shiite away (spread it all over the land for all to see!), Swedes and Norwegians bio-gas it into fuel and import less! Truth is, Americans were spoiled rotten by GM, Chrysler and Ford, who know from the sales folks in the field just what the expectations are, and they are astronomically high, for the paltry disposable income the average American can haul home now-a-days! - Enter, the hungry and more desperate Japanese and other Asian companies who pay workers and staff much less in poorer countries to produce better vehicles - they are not running out to get into the diesel market because Americans have an inherent dislike for rattlers, and need a gentle let-down from the high-displacement smooth running gassers from days gone by! One day, when gas prices are so damn high good diesels can be justified, the Asians have the required items, already well developed and on the shelf, ready for Yankee Doodle and his finicky tastes. Don’t kid yourself, marketing is everything. It determine the almighty ROI, and even the best, most efficient diesel, entering the marketplace at the wrong time can sink like a stone and take the company with it, good name, market position and all! Technically, an algae diesel, turbo’ed and tuned properly, batteried up as a plug-in hybrid, with a carbon fiber and polymer composite body of very aerodynamic style, built as a two passenger super-commuter can get much better than 100 U.S. mpg, but! on todays markets nobody would buy it! too radical, to futuristic, outlandish! As the marketplace warms to new ideas, and Big Oil lets prices edge up, the changes will evolve, slowly through the model lines and by the end of the century, Americans, if still in existence at all, will be weened from the Corvettes and will willingly purchase a plastic hybrid diesel car - just about when the oil runs out completely, and bio-diesel fron Algae is the fuel of the day!
[...] when you step on the gas pedal as was the case in propane fueled trucks several years ago. It gets competitive fuel mileage as compared to gasoline. The average of highway and in town driving for a 2007 F150 is 14 mpg, and [...]
The “money for nothing” concept of fuel production *always* stirs up interesting comments, and I love blogs like this! BUT, as mentioned by nearly everyone, you *can’t* get something for nothing. But too many others have commented along those lines. I won’t.
I *will* comment on “the diesel issue” in regards to the US as I’ve owned diesel vehicles for ages. None US made, BTW. (though there are some decent trucks out there with good unmodded economy.)
I found a way to double the fuel economy of the Smart Car ForTwo — I simply purchased a non-US model with a turbo diesel engine! lol
Sadly, the much hyped smart — which has been around for ten years now, pretty much everywhere but the US — got an mpg trip to make it “legal” in the USA. The current US models get on average of 35-40 mpg from a non-turbo petrol engine.
I have an unmodified 1985 heavy slow Mercedes Benz with 5 cylinder turbo-diesel that will get 33 on the highway!
Back to the smart comment — my other car is a 2006 smart CDI Canadian spec with teeeeeeny 800cc turbo-diesel engine, and on the highway *it* gets nearly 70 mpg with no mods, using regular or biodiesel.
If Mercedes can build engines with such economy, why can’t Detroit?? If Japan can do the same, why can’t Detroit? And why do they have to be detuned to meet US spec when EU specs for emissions are even tighter???? Why has diesel suddenly gone up in cost past premium gasoline when it used to be half the price of regular???? (the “low sulfur” excuse doesn’t cut it, Exxon!!! The EU has had low sulfur fuels for many years!)
Questions, so many questions, never any real answers.
I think GM soured the US interest in diesel automobiles in the 70’s with a series of underdesigned engines that stayed broken all the time. Combine that with the various tarriff and trade hits given makers such as Mercedes and there isn’t much incentive to attempt to sell more diesel powered cars. VW *has* has offered cars in the past — the smoky diesel Rabbit from years ago — and currently with their more modern turbo-diesels that deliver 60 mpg easily.
Will American car buyers heed the call??? At least a few of us have, as seen on this site and others that focus on maximizing fuel economy.
I mean, diesels have been the mainstay for Europe and the UK for many decades.
But as for water and home-brew Browns Gas, who knows of a way to make it in large enough quantites — and with no scammy-smelling offers for $100 downloadable files. *shrug*
Another tangent - we had an early Chevy Sprint (Suzuki Swift) that got over 50 mpg on the road. Later models got less and less fuel economy. My wife drives a 2007 Ford Taurus which barely makes 22 mpg, but yet earlier models with similar engines could easily extract 30 miles per gallon of petrol. What is it with Detroit?? Is it any wonder nearly all US car companies have gone under? And why are US built Toyotas and Hondas sold as imports, while Mexican built Fords are sold as domestic???? Yea, more questions, few answers.
Laterz
This is awesome! Hummer H3 with 60 MPG! I’m extremely jealous. My small car does get me 60 MPG.