CNET reports on the hybrid plug-in Hummer H3 from Raser Technologies. The idea of an environmentally-friendly Hummer might take some getting used to, with that particular vehicle being used for years as the prime example of an inefficient gas-guzzler. But there are jumbo shrimp, so there’s no reason we can’t have a “green” Hummer too.
What’s more interesting about the article is that you have another example of different MPG calculation methods muddling the marketing message. As the CNET caption puts it:
Raser’s Hummer H3E gets 35 mpg, 100 mpg, or 190 mpg in city. It depends on how you calculate mileage.
Efficiency claims for “regular” cars have always been a mess, with the distinction between city and highway miles, all the footnotes about ideal conditions, and other variables throws into the mix.
With more and more electric and hybrid cars coming on the market, consumers are going to have a hard time comparing apples to apples if the industry doesn’t come up with a sensible, fair, and consistent means of measuring efficiency. Maybe MPGs aren’t the way to go any more? Maybe we need a new number or indicator altogether…