While frowned upon by many in my home state of Connecticut, off-roading is nevertheless a prevalent past time in a state filled with farms, forest, and Fortune 500 CEO’s. In fact, for such a politically liberal state, there are a surprising number of Hummers (though far more Priuses). While mostly reserved for commuting, every now and then I’ve seen a Hummer tearing it up off-road.
Still, there is a part of me that winces everytime I see the mud flying and the engines revving. It is bad for the environment, and off-roading definitely breeds a disregard for nature. It is still fun, but if there was a better way to do it, I would be all over it. Raser Tech’s plug-in hybrid Hummer might just be that better way.
The Raser Tech Hummer is sort of like a Volt on steroids. It follows the same premise as the Volt, with a gas engine powering a generator that provides power to a battery pack. The gas engine doesn’t drive the car; electric motors do. These electric motors can supposedly take the Raser Tech Hummer up to 40 miles on electricity alone. Sounds a bit optimistic for the heavy H3, but not impossible.
Raser Tech took their H2 to the annual Jeep Safari gathering in Moab, Utah, to show off its off-road capablities. It is a bit unsettling though to watch this Hummer climbing over rocks without a single sound, but kinda cool at the same time. Maybe I’m just used to big block Chevy Suburbans belching out blue smoke trying to get over a three foot rock pile. So is a plug-in hybrid Hummer green? I doubt some of the claims (like 100 mpg) and any car that uses gas is certainly not “Zero Emissions.” Still, I certainly think its an improvement.
Source: Raser Tech
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About Christopher DeMorro
it might not be perfect but it is leaps and bounds above any thing else in terms of electric 4×4 trucks capable of handling moderate off-road terrain. i would love to have, and have been dreaming of, an electric or extended electric 4×4 vehicle.
it might not be perfect but it is leaps and bounds above any thing else in terms of electric 4×4 trucks capable of handling moderate off-road terrain. i would love to have, and have been dreaming of, an electric or extended electric 4×4 vehicle.
“and off-roading definately breeds a disregard for nature”
This kind of statement drives me crazy. I love to offroad and when done responsibly is anything but a disregard for nature. In fact I would argue that offroading brings about more for the cause of protecting what is out there than many other things.
“and off-roading definately breeds a disregard for nature”
This kind of statement drives me crazy. I love to offroad and when done responsibly is anything but a disregard for nature. In fact I would argue that offroading brings about more for the cause of protecting what is out there than many other things.
i totally agree Stew, Getting out their and exploring the wilderness gives you an appreciation for the environment you are supposed to be protecting. You want it to be there next time you go into the wilderness, or in decades from now when our children go exploring.
i totally agree Stew, Getting out their and exploring the wilderness gives you an appreciation for the environment you are supposed to be protecting. You want it to be there next time you go into the wilderness, or in decades from now when our children go exploring.
Sounds like a good idea….
When will it be available to the consumer???
Will it be available in Canada?????
What would it cost?????
Sounds like a good idea….
When will it be available to the consumer???
Will it be available in Canada?????
What would it cost?????