Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

npr.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 62 posts

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#41

Post by salty_biscuits »

nordsieck wrote: post #17
villgax wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On 1, how couldn't silent operation be anything but a boon. Airdropping battery packs would appear to be safer than gas right?

> Airdropping battery packs would appear to be safer than gas right? This is the most absurd statement I've read on HN in the past week. Just take 20 seconds and think about the logistics of a 60+ ton tank in the middle of nowhere doing a battery swap.

If (and it is a big if) electric power had an advantage, surely they would just have a support vehicle with a big generator that they could recharge from.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#43

Post by MisterTea »

unlinked_dll wrote: post #8

Still waiting on a sub 30k electric sedan that doesn't look like a turd

... and isn't full of tablet computers with half finished software that needs constant updating, miles of wire, self driving snake oil, and other electronic wizz bang nonsense. I just want a car. Not an IT experiment.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#44

Post by olivermarks »

newnewpdro wrote: post #38
ollie87 wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Battery pack might be better really, you could move the centre of gravity slightly lower than the fuel tank and engine on a ICE version.

With how massive the wheels and tires are, maybe hub motors with batteries packed in their centers could work. I don't get the impression that monster trucks strive to minimize unsprung weight, the tires are wrecking balls.

https://youtu.be/OumQxxO8v1M You wouldn't need huge battery life for a 15 minute performance, so shaving off battery weight might just work. What most people go to see is airborne jumps rather than crushing things hence need for low weight.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#45

Post by arein2 »

cm2187 wrote: post #23
skunkworker wrote: post #10

This could help at high altitudes where you don’t get enough air for a naturally aspirated engine. I ran into this problem off roading above Ouray and Telluride, CO at about 12,500ft. Though adding forced induction would’ve given me back some power.

Sounds like a good location to run out of battery

Get a generator and some fuel with you just in case.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#46

Post by newnewpdro »

olivermarks wrote: post #44
newnewpdro wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With how massive the wheels and tires are, maybe hub motors with batteries packed in their centers could work. I don't get the impression that monster trucks strive to minimize unsprung weight, the tires are wrecking balls.

https://youtu.be/OumQxxO8v1M You wouldn't need huge battery life for a 15 minute performance, so shaving off battery weight might just work. What most people go to see is airborne jumps rather than crushing things hence need for low weight.

IIRC the rubber tires weigh 1000+lbs each, I wonder if the tires could be implemented differently using lightweight materials shifting their weight budget into hubmotor+battery.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#47

Post by daxfohl »

jedieaston wrote: post #34
daxfohl wrote: post #29

Ways GM could enter the electric market. Electric Malibu: Totally makes sense Electric Cadillac: Wow, forward thinking! Electric Corvette: Whoa, world changing Electric Hummer: But I. But we. Wait. What?

It solves the biggest problem everyone had with the Hummer: gallons-per-mile. And it competes with the Cybertruck, and they don’t have to worry about a limited amount of space for the batteries. Seems like a good strategy to me, for a first attempt.

But my impression was that the only reason to have a hummer was the whole "I'm whatever enough to be above social responsibility" appeal. So if they make it socially responsible then that takes away their entire market. I've never been in the market for a hummer so maybe I'm missing something.

That said, an electric hummer could be a perfect fit for the hummer stretch limo market. Though idk if that market is big enough to warrant its own whole thing.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#48

Post by bluGill »

olivermarks wrote: post #31
cm2187 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like a good location to run out of battery

That would be my concern. It's only a matter of time before battery recharge trucks roam the streets and rescue people from offroad power failures. Cheaper than loading an EV on the back of a diesel flatbed to be taken to a recharge station, which I often see in California.

In general I expect serious off roaders will carry a generator - they often do anyway for their campsite. Of course we are talking altitude which changes things.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#49

Post by bluGill »

daxfohl wrote: post #47
jedieaston wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It solves the biggest problem everyone had with the Hummer: gallons-per-mile. And it competes with the Cybertruck, and they don’t have to worry about a limited amount of space for the batteries. Seems like a good strategy to me, for a first attempt.

But my impression was that the only reason to have a hummer was the whole "I'm whatever enough to be above social responsibility" appeal. So if they make it socially responsible then that takes away their entire market. I've never been in the market for a hummer so maybe I'm missing something. That said, an electric hummer could be a perfect fit for the hummer stretch limo market. Though idk if that market is big eno…

Are we talking about the mil-spec hummer which was admired by people who spent a lot of time off road, or the H2 which was just another truck (not useless off road, but no better than any other truck) which never actually went off road.

Re: The Hummer is coming back as an electric vehicle

#50

Post by dsfyu404ed »

fouc wrote: post #18

Wonder how they'll get on with Cybertruck.

They won't.

H2 EV is to Cybertruck as used Ford Ranger is to CPO Tacoma. The owners of the latter will turn up their nose at the former if they cross paths at all. They're mostly disparate buyer demographics.

Post reply on HN