| Saab this week (23 Nov) confirmed that sales of a new 9-5 BioPower
model fuelled by ethanol, an eco-friendly renewable energy source,
will begin on the Swedish market next summer.
The Saab 9-5 BioPower will provide customers with a premium quality
offer for the first time in a rapidly growing market niche that
is supported by favourable environmental and business tax concessions.
Its 2.0-liter turbo engine also delivers a significant performance
improvement when running on ethanol-based fuel, while still being
able to use gasoline if necessary.
In Sweden, Saab 9-5 BioPower customers will be able to use E85 fuel
(85% ethanol/15% gasoline) which costs about 25 per cent less per
liter at the pumps. They will also be exempt from projected city
congestion and parking charges. In addition, company car drivers
will qualify for a 20 per cent reduction in car benefit tax.
On the road, the 180 bhp/ 280 Nm Saab 9-5 BioPower running on E85
delivers sportier performance due to a significant 30 bhp lift in
maximum power and 40 Nm more torque, compared to its gasoline-powered
equivalent. Whilst fuel economy in SEK/km in city and mixed driving
conditions is unlikely to show an improvement, testing indicates
that a useful 15 per cent gain in fuel cost in SEK/km can be expected
at cruising speeds because of a better combustion with higher efficiency.
Ethanol fuel is produced commercially from agricultural crops and,
unlike gasoline, its consumption does not raise atmospheric levels
of carbon dioxide (CO2), the 'greenhouse' gas that contributes to
global warming. This is because emissions during driving are balanced
by the amount of CO2 that is removed from the atmosphere when crops
for conversion are grown.
The adaptability of Saab's powerful Trionic engine management system
has facilitated re-programming to accommodate the different ignition
timing characteristics and fuel/air mixture requirements of ethanol.
Other significant modifications required are the use of ethanol-compatible
materials for the fuel tank, fuel lines and connectors.
During the development of the BioPower engine, Saab engineers liaised
with General Motors colleagues in Brazil where 100 percent ethanol
(E100), produced locally from sugar cane, is the dominant fuel on
the market.
"Our engine management system automatically adjusts for the
type of fuel so, if there is no ethanol available, the customer
can simply run on gasoline at any time," says Kjell ac Bergström,
President and CEO of Saab Automobile Powertrain AB. "Turbocharged
engines are particularly well-suited to exploiting the benefits
of ethanol and our work with this engine indicates there is a great
deal of development potential for this fuel."
The Saab 9-5 BioPower is scheduled to go on sale next summer. Prices
will be announced shortly and are expected to show only a very small
increase in comparison to standard models.
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