As our brothers at Autoblog like to say, it's "officially official." GM has confirmed their plans to offer all Hummers with biofuel-capable engine options. According to Automotive News, a Hummer official has said that the 2009 H2 and H2 SUT will be equipped with flex-fuel engines capable on running on gasoline or ethanol, making them the first such Hummers available. The 2010 Hummer H3 will be offered with a flex-fuel version of GM's direct injection 3.6L V-6 and we've heard plenty of rumblings regarding diesel Hummers too. Currently, the Hummer H3 is offered with a five-cylinder gasoline engine and a 5.3 liter small-block V8, both of which struggle to get fuel mileage in the mid-to-high teens. The H2 is available only with a larger 6.2 liter V8, which, as you can probably surmise, offers dismal fuel economy, and it would use even more fuel if it were running on ethanol. Emissions would probably be improved, but we're still talking about lots of fuel being burned here. We'll be on the lookout for more information on the biofuel capabilities of the Hummer brand, but we remain firmly in the bandaid-on-a-broken-arm camp on this particular announcement.

[Source: Automotive News (sub. req'd)]

Since shortly after it's introduction in 2003, the Hummer H2 has been a lightning rod for people critical of General Motors' environmental policies. Although the H2 had a hefty thirst for fuel it was by no means the worst. However the militaristic styling that caused it to stand out from the crowd drew the kind of attention GM was not keen on in the wake of the EV1 shutdown. After sales peaked in the first two years of production, it has been in a downward spiral ever since. GM subsequently introduced a smaller H3 model but its excess weight and underpowered engine meant that it got only marginally better fuel economy than the larger H2.

Toward the end of this decade GM will be adding some new engine options to the H2 and H3 that will help a bit, but until these vehicles are completely redesigned on lighter platforms, it probably won't be enough to turn most people around. GM will be adding flex-fuel capability to the H2 in 2009 with the H3 getting it in 2010, but why isn't it there now? The newly announced 4.5L diesel will also go into the H2 at the same time. If the H2 does continue into the future, and that is by no means a given at this point, it may inherit the two-mode hybrid system coming later this year starting on the Tahoe/Yukon.

Most likely the only way that Hummer will be transformed from an environmental pariah to at least respectable would be to follow Jeep's lead and come out with smaller lighter vehicles like the Compass and Patriot. However, Compass sales haven't been anything to write home about so far and there is no guarantee that something similar to the Compass would have any appeal at all as a Hummer. GM's best bet might be to just let the H2 and H3 live out their lifespan and then let the brand die.

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[Source: Automotive News - Sub. req'd]

At the invitation of GM, eco-blogger Michael d'Estries of Groovy Green attended the New York Auto Show. At dinner he took advantage of being sandwiched between Hummer boss Ross Hendrix and GM's lead exec on environmental issues, Beth Lowery. Michael's first questions to Hendrix: "So Ross, when is Hummer going green?"

Hendrix responded with promises that GM is making advancements in fuel economy and that Hummer will have more diesels by the end of the decade.

The conversation turned to Hummer's image as the bad boy on the green block. Hendrix said Hummer couldn't declare itself carbon neutral soon if only to avoid being charged with green washing. But the brand will focus on publicizing improvements in fuel economy and weight reductions.

Hummer's possible tie-in with McDonalds on a green project seemed to impress the groovy blogger, and he was pleased that GM responded in good faith to his questions. Any frustration stemming from the dinner focused on the "two-three years away" time frame for the promises.

Meanwhile, d'Estries is promising more blogs and videos from his auto show visit.

[Source: Michael d'Estries / Groovy Green]