The H1 never achieved high sales volume, so its total contribution to e.g. CO2 was never significant. The importance of the press release lies in the psychological impact of taking this environmental abomination out of the showrooms. Unfortunately, production of the other Hummer models will continue. There are still folks out there who insist on driving a converted military vehicle because that's supposedly cool.

It may be a cultural thing, but here in Europe the vast majority of people find the apparent love affair of a certain segment of the US population with all manner of military hardware deeply disconcerting (cp. Prussia). It suggests a level of comfort with aggression/violence (
"kicking a** and taking names") that is also widely perceived as the core of US foreign policy - especially since 9/11.

If the US was really serious about global warming and feeding our unfriendly "friends" billions of dollars to use against us, congress would immediately pass a tax of 100% on any vehicle that didn't get 30 mpg.

Next year it would go to 40 mpg.

It will never happen because they are taking billons of dollars in bribes from big oil and auto makers.

____The vehicle (used and those few new ones still out there) could still be a testbed for new technologies. It is, after all, a large vehicle with substantial associated cargo capacity to haul around prototype equiptment, (esp if they are not downsized yet) and testing/recording gear. Besides, what a great way to demonstrate to the Pickup and SUV lovers the technologies that you could put in a 8000+ lbs truck, (and similar/larger/smaller vehicles) and demonstrate it still has all the capabilities (and more) of the conventional version.
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____Another market be would to demonstrate a rugged, cost effective, and reliable battle hardened HMMWV would be the military. With fuel saving technologies that will serve as electric generator/air compressor/hydraulic pump/water source /water purifier, the vehicle may utilize technologies currently in development to enhance the capabilities of our forces, while reducing the logistical footprint of operations while deployed. This will reduce costs ($$$$) due to the fact that much of the cost in current military operations is DIESEL FUEL. Reduced logistical loads and a reductioon in the type/number of pieces of equiptment will reduce costs by as much as $10 BILLION a year when fully implemented. That is only combat ops. Back on bases and during training there is much that could be saved with these advances implemented. Furthermore, reinvestment/recapitalazation in current pieces of equiptment with some or all the advances will: a) reduce consumption (of fuel, funds, and time) b)enhance capabilities.
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____DARPA has poured funds into new technologies and it is about time we see the benefits. The innovations will flow down to the civilian level, where they will meet, complement, and enhance what is out there at the declassified level. It happened with the APOLLO and Internet programs. It is high time to happen again (if politics and special interests do not get in the way).

alright anyone who thinks this is good is crazy. because now the cheap still gas guzzling ugly hummer h2 will become the head of the hummer line.. in what way is that good???

I know it's a shocking concept, but the market is working. SUV sales are dropping like a rock without the punitive taxes you folks are proposing.

allen-

The next "trickle down" of technology from DARPA is about 15 years away in the form of autonomous vehicles (fewer accidents, better handling of the future increase in congestion and more efficient driving patterns). Private industries have nearly all the individual components necessary but putting it all together was demonstrated during last year's DARPA sponsored challenge (where vehicles had to show the ability to operate autonomously and drive through some areas specifically designed to block GPS and RF).

dc-
Don't worry, China already exceeded Japan's oil consumption rate in 2004 (Japan was second to the US). With the pace of their advancement they will soon be very close to consuming the same amount of oil as us (probably in less than 25 years). If we did make provisions such that we used less oil and it were cheaper for them we could avoid some nasty oil wars in the future. Just imagine what a Chinese embargo would do to US industries given that nearly all of our lower end components are manufactured in China. With a booming Chinese economy they will eventually lose their price competitiveness edge (some companies won't want to have to change their manufacturing sites every 15 years to find the latest cheap labor and will start to do more manufacturing in the USA).

Just for some balance, Re the "if we didn't burn it then China would" comments, its worth pointing out that China has some fairly punative taxes on vehicles that don't achieve good gas milage.

The Chinese are well aware of what would happen if a sizable proportion of their popuation was abe to consume fuel at the American rate of consumption.

I'm not saying that they wouldn't burn any surplus market fuel, but they already have some sensible policies in place.

Andy

"With a booming Chinese economy they will eventually lose their price competitiveness edge (some companies won't want to have to change their manufacturing sites every 15 years to find the latest cheap labor and will start to do more manufacturing in the USA)."

I'm so glad you want Americans to make sacrifices to help the Chinese economy. Oh and given the birth rates of India and Latin America, the odds that U.S. companies will ever move their factories back to the states are close to nil. Most people don't want to work in a factory anyways, so I don't consider the loss to be a big deal.

But this is all really irrelevant to my main point. The point is that attempting to prevent global warming by removing U.S. SUVs is not only futile but delusional as well.

Raphael finds the militaristic peccadillos of Americans disturbing.Who was it that colonized the mideast and Africa?

Do you think the ownership by England,France,and a collection of European powers may have contributed to the foul mood of the Islamic world.During much of the twentieth century European powers were slaughtering Indians,Algerians,South Africans etc.etc.

Wasnt that hitler guy from Europe somewhere.Recently Chirac said he would use nuclear weapons if he found a state was behind a wmd attack on France.I am a little tired of Euros looking down their extremely bloody nose at mean old U.S. war mongers.

Euros who live in glass historical houses should think before throwing rhetorical stones.

dc: "Congress is taking billions in bribes? Do you really believe that?" Well, yes. Perhaps the total is a billion, not billions but if you can't believe it: www.publicintegrity.org/oil/report.aspx?aid=345. $420 million over the last six years alone. Come on, pull your head out and get with the program. The market is way behind the consumer on this issue and the government is largely responsible.

Earl -

it is precisely because we recognize the mistakes of our own history that we Europeans (Germans and Austrians in particular) are so averse to all things militaristic. For example, Gov. Schwarzenegger's predelection for Hummers is one of many reasons many Austrians are embarassed to be associated with him by accident of birth.

Okay we'll count you out!

Interesting to note, that Hummer is not GM vehicle. It was developed by AM General, which still produce it for military and specialty users. GM bought it image (like Chrysler once did with Jeep, also from AM General) with anticipation to benefit from its extreme image. By itself this vehicle is revolutionary for military and all-terrain transportation, and comes only with diesel engine. Thought it is highly specialized and awful performer as city passenger vehicle. Exactly this, real Hummer was axed by GM.

Other Hummers GM continue to produce are cheap fake. Actually it is just camouflaged 30 years old Chevy Tahoe/GMC Sierra platform with 40 years old cast iron gas engines. It has solid beam rear axle and has minimal off-road capabilities. So H2 and H3 is really not just a vehicle, but statement: “proud to be a moron” For this matter I am on the side of our European eco-nazi friends.