Hummer H2

The H2 is the second vehicle sold under the Hummer marque of General Motors. It is a large SUV (though smaller than the Hummer H1) with room for five passengers and substantial off-road ability. The rearmost part of the H2 SUV was modified to a pickup truck bed for the 2004 H2 SUT ("Sport Utility Truck").

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 substantially and are constructed in three other GM plants. H2 sales were initially very strong, but fell sharply for 2004. The H2 was nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award for 2003. Engine:

Capabilities

With its high ground clearance, large tires, protective underbody plates, and low gearing, the H2 is capable of climbing over a 16 inch (0.4 m) high step-up wall (without the sill steps shown in the pictured example). A massive truck frame and wide track appear to offer reasonable 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.

Application

The H2 is marketed as both a general purpose vehicle and as an offroad vehicle. The offroad capablity of the H2 is extremely high, although studies have shown that less than 5% of all buyers of the H2 use the vehicle offroad. Some limousine operators have purchased modified "stretched" versions as a novelty vehicle for carriage of passengers.

Fuel economy

For typical travel on improved roads between urban and resort areas, users report mileage of between 14 and 17 miles per U.S. gallon (mpg), which converts to between 14 and 17 liters per 100 kilometers. Worst case urban driving is said to be in the range of 8 to 11 US mpg (21 to 29 L/100 km). Although no official fuel economy ratings are provided by General Motors, most reviews have observed high single to low double-digit mileage, similar to the numbers above.

Tax benefits

Under the United States income tax code, the cost of vehicles over 6000 lb (2722 kg) can be deducted from income. This deduction was enacted decades ago to assist self-employed people in purchasing a vehicle for business use. The weight minumum 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. The increasing popularity of these 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 $75,000, and it rose again to $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 2004, the deduction was again reduced to $25,000. Critics feel that this deduction unfairly benefits buyers of heavy, and thus inefficient, vehicles. Indeed, the actual value of this deduction is far larger than the exemptions offered for alternative fuel vehicle purchasers. Further, some have suggested creating a small business simply to exploit this "loophole". Proponents, including the George W. Bush administration and Congressional leaders, contend that the deduction benefits both small business owners and the United States automobile industry.

Criticism

Resource use

Critics feel that the Hummer H2's fuel economy is poor and that this contributes to global warming and excessive use of petroleum in the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency does not test vehicles of this size and its fuel consumption is not counted in the manufacturer's CAFE ratings. Automobile Magazine referred to the H2's aerodynamics as "brick-like" with a coefficient of drag of 0.57. Although not literally as bad as a brick (2.1), this is much worse than a similarly-sized Dodge Durango at 0.39. The Hummer is also equipped with tires of much higher rolling resistance than many competitors, further reducing efficiency. Fans argue that fuel economy was not a design goal of the H2 and that this relatively rare vehicle does little to impact the environment or overall oil use.

Road safety

Apart from environmental concerns, the H2 is criticized for being one of the worst offenders in an automotive "arms race", wherein very large and massive vehicles pose much greater risks to drivers of smaller vehicles in a collision. This discussion was outlined in an October, 2004 Journal of Law and Economics article (see References). While the physics of the argument are not controversial, the social implications are.

Backlash

Because the H2 is seen by critics as an epitome of many social problems, a considerable resentment is held towards the vehicle. Some extreme critics have even resorted to violence. On August 22, 2003, arsonists set fire to a warehouse containing 22 Hummer H2s at a dealership. These so-called eco-terrorists also vandalized a number of other vehicles. This resentment is sometimes directed towards the owners of the vehicles as well. The website FUH2 features photographs of hundreds of contributors flipping off Hummers.

References

H2 Category:SUVs Category:Pickup trucks

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