| Hummer H2 | |
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| Manufacturer | AM General |
| Parent company | General Motors |
| Production | 2003–present |
| Assembly | Mishawaka, Indiana |
| Class | Full-size SUV |
| Body style(s) | 4-door SUV |
| Layout | Front engine, rear-wheel drive / Four-wheel drive |
| Platform | GMT800 |
| Engine(s) | 6.0L 325 hp/6.2L 393 hp for 2008 V8 |
| Transmission(s) | 4-speed/6-speed for 2008 automatic |
| Wheelbase | SUT: 133.7 in (3124 mm) SUV: 122.8 in (3118 mm) |
| Length | SUT: 203.6 in (5171 mm) SUV: 189.8 in (4820 mm) |
| Width | 81.2 in (2062 mm) |
| Height | 79.2 in (2012 mm) 2003-05: 77.8 in (1976 mm) |
| Curb weight | 6400 lb (2903 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 32 US gal. |
| Related | Cadillac Escalade Chevrolet Tahoe GMC Yukon Chevrolet Suburban Chevrolet Avalanche |
The H2 SUV/SUT/Hydrogen is the second vehicle sold under the Hummer marque of General Motors. It is a large truck (lighter and slightly slimmer than the Hummer H1, while slightly longer and slightly taller) with room for six passengers (including driver). The rearmost part of the H2 SUV was modified to a pickup truck bed for the 2005 H2 SUT ("Sport Utility Truck").
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Overview
The H2 is built under contract by AM General at a specially constructed plant in Mishawaka, Indiana, USA. Although it shares GM's GMT820 truck platform with the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, those vehicles differ in many ways and are constructed in three other GM plants. The H2's final frame assembly is made up of 3 sections: The front uses a modified GM 2500-Series utility frame, the mid-section is all new and is completely boxed, and the rear section uses a modified GM 1500-Series frame which is upgraded for the 8,600 pound (3629 kg) gross vehicle weight. H2 sales were initially strong, but fell to 28,898 for 2004 and 23,213 for 2005. [1] The H2 was nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award for 2003. Engine:
Capabilities
With its high ground clearance, protective underbody plates, and low gearing, the H2 is capable of climbing over a 16-inch-high (0.4 m) vertical wall (without the sill steps shown in the pictured example).
A massive truck frame and slightly wider-than-average track may offer stability against overturning compared to some of the more common light truck SUVs, although objective tests have not been performed by the government or other outside parties due to its specialized vehicle class. The H2 is also capable of fording 20" of water, traversing a 40% side slope, ascending/descending a 60% grade, and towing 6,700lbs. The 6000 pound plus weight of the Hummer H2 makes them illegal to drive on most residential roads.
Application
The H2 is marketed as both a general purpose vehicle and as an off-road vehicle. Because of mass marketing by GM, it is primarily used as a passenger vehicle on typical roads. Along with the Ford Excursion, the H2 is also a very common vehicle for a limousine conversion. The Hummer H2 is also prominently featured on CBS' CSI:Miami, driven mainly by the chief of the Miami-Dade Police Department crime lab (Lt. Horatio Caine, played by David Caruso), as well as three of his colleagues: Detective Calleigh Duquesne (played by Emily Procter), Eric Delko (played by Adam Rodriguez) and Ryan Wolfe (played by Jonathan Togo). In the 2007 film Transformers, the Autobot field medic Ratchet transforms into a Search and Rescue-themed Hummer H2 for his vehicle/disguise mode. Production designer Jeff Mann had a car built from scratch: "We looked at some military Hummer ambulances and some Red Cross vehicles from the '80s that had an H1 foundation which eventually evolved into a search and rescue vehicle with a crazy color, kind of chartreuse green."[2]
Fuel economy
Although General Motors does not provide official H2 fuel economy ratings on the petrol engine it comes with [3], most reviews have observed high single to low double-digit mileage. Forbes notes "H2 gets a paltry 13 mpg on the highway and 10 mpg in the city"[4] Motortrend observed 12 mpg. [5] Car and Driver observed 10 mpg. [6] A reviewer at about.com got 8.6 mpg. [7] Edmunds observed 9.2 mpg.[8] Four Wheeler magazine observed 10.8 mpg in their final long term report of a H2 SUT. Their worst tank was 7.2 mpg and best tank was 15.3 mpg. [9] Consumer Guide observed 10.7 mpg, even with mostly highway driving. [10] Automobile Magazine averaged less than 10 mpg. [11] US News observed 9.5 mpg according to its trip computer. [12] Cars.com observed 11.4 mpg according to its trip computer in mostly highway driving. [13] Car and Driver notes that the 2008 H2 is more efficient than previous models and will get 11.5 mpg.[14]
Tax benefits
Under the United States income tax code, the cost of vehicles over 6,000 pounds (2722 kg) can be deducted from specific forms of income. This deduction was enacted decades ago to assist self-employed people in purchasing a vehicle for business use. The weight minimum was intended to limit the deduction to commercial-type trucks. For many years, the deduction remained below the average cost of a new vehicle, since large trucks were relatively inexpensive. Since it is a reduction in taxable income, the actual value of this deduction averages 30% of the price of the vehicle in question. However, the weight of the Hummer also makes them too heavy to legally drive on many community roads. The increasing popularity of these commercial vehicles in the last decade, however, pushed their average price to nearly double the average passenger car cost. In response, the 2002 Tax Act increased this "Section 179 depreciation deduction" to US$75,000, and it rose again to US$102,000 for the 2004 tax year. This is more than three times the current average cost of a passenger car in the United States and covers a large number of luxury models, including the Hummer H2. In late 2006, the deduction was again reduced to US$50,000. This deduction has received criticism as favoring large vehicles over the more energy efficient zero polluting electric vehicles, which received a maximum dedution of $4,000, $1,000 in 2007, and $0 in 2008. Base price MSRP in 2007 for the H2 is $55,010. Resale value after two years is about 40 percent according to Edmunds.com
Criticism
- See also: Criticism of sport utility vehicles
The Hummer H2 is one of the most severely criticized civilian vehicles on the market today. Critics have expressed concern at the fuel economy which they cite as being among the most inefficient of vehicles. The H2 is exempt from federal fuel economy standards because it has a GVWR of over 8500 lbs.[15][16] As a result, it doesn't currently count against GM's CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) numbers. [17] Since the H2 is classified as a truck, it is exempt from the gas guzzler tax. [18][19] The Hummer H2 is criticised for contributing towards petroleum consumption in the United States. In addition, H2 drivers are criticized for obstructing the views of other drivers behind them with their large vehicles. Criticism is also leveled at the H2 by safety advocates who have expressed concern that their size and height make them far deadlier to smaller vehicles as well as bicyclists, and pedestrians since the front of the Hummer H2 will likely strike the head and/or chest where injuries are far more life-threatening instead of the knees where regular cars are most likely to impact a pedestrian.
References
- ^ Excite
- ^ "The Making Of The Transformers Movie - Production Design: The Robots, The Vehicles, The Sets", ENI, 2007-06-15. Retrieved on 2007-09-13.
- ^ GM Buy Power
- ^ Forbes
- ^ Motor Trend
- ^ Car and Driver
- ^ Trucks at About.com
- ^ Edmunds
- ^ Four Wheeler
- ^ Consumer Guide Auto
- ^ Automobile Mag
- ^ US News
- ^ Cars.com
- ^ Car and Driver
- ^ Fuel Economy
- ^ Fuel Economy
- ^ NHTSA
- ^ Fuel Economy
- ^ SUVS
External links
Official Sites
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