SAAB Flexible Fuel and the First Fossil Fuel Free Hybrid
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 04.22.06
If you are living in Europe, you might have to drop your feeling of superiority over the SUV-driving Americans, because this week it was announced that after an extremely weak reduction in CO2 emissions for the new autos sold in 2005 (from 162,2 to 160), the European Auto Industry cannot possibly succeed to meet voluntary commitments to reduce the average fleet emissions to 140gm/km. Sweden and Finland lead the pack as the worst performers in Europe, followed up by Germany in third place. Hmmm. Performance car culture = poor performance in sustainability. But motorheads fear not: Saab to the rescue! Saab now has three engines giving hope to the sportscar enthusiast in the face of probable action by EU regulators to give teeth to CO2 commitments.
Option Number 1: Eco-auto for beginners
Saab has offered the promised 9-5 2.0t model with BioPower since mid-2005 in their homeland and the first deliveries in Germany are expected in Spring 2006. And since the recent study suggests European consumers are selecting sportier cars over the eco-efficient options available, it is a good thing that the performance of the "Flexible Fuel" motor is better when the machine is fed a diet of bio-ethanol. The 2.0t engine delivers 132 KW/180HP in bio-mode but only 110KW/150 PS with traditional fuel. When drunk on nature, she spurts from 0 to 100km/h in 8.5s and then accelerates to 120 in fifth gear in another 13.5s, while its dinosaur-fueled sibling hits the goals at 9.8s and 14.9s
Option Number 2: Eco-auto goes high-performance
Saab has now demonstrated in the top-model 9-5 2.3 Turbo Aero that changing the classic turbo-charged gas engine to biofuels is feasible. With biofuel, the Aero achieved almost 20% power premium, at 228 KW/310HP surpassing the rated 191 KW/260 HP. The bad news: Saab is still testing the application of the bio-ethanol in the turbo-charged Aero prototype, and has no plans to produce the Bio-Aero in series. The Aero has been making the rounds of the auto shows, doing Los Angeles and Detroit in early 2006.
Option Number 3: The First Fossil Fuel Free Hybrid
Not to neglect their tramping grounds, at the recent Stockholm motor show Saab offered the World Premier of the first completely fossil fuel free hybrid: the 9-3 convertible BioPower Hybrid--the completely fossil fuel free prototype shown at the top of this article. While the Flex Fuel version use E85, a blend of 85% biofuel with 15% petroleum, the BioHybrid is designed to use E100, pure renewable fuel. Now if you can just stick it out with your bicycle until 2010... For more on the BioHybrid, see World Car Fans.
via ::Autoblog.it
Any info on mpg or when they will be on the market?
GM is coming out with a lot of good ideas but not many have made it to the market.
Wow, GM must either:
1.) Be genuinely serious about green power.
or
2.) Figure they're so screwed that they have to pray for the "green gimmick" to lead them back into profitability.
Either way, good for General Motors, the more hybrids and e85 vehicles across their brands, the better!
Finally, this " Sweden and Finland lead the pack as the worst performers in Europe" is hilarious. I thought they were the model countries!
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Ed. Note: well, they are green leaders in many ways. And if you have ever lived in the great white north, you can probably see some value to a somewhat heavier, stabler car. Of course, they rank among the richest countries as well. Average income vs auto efficiency, now that would be an interesting curve.
Finland is trying to work out their transportation issues. Check out their plan for biodiesel buses in the southern part of the country here:
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Every+second+bus+in+Helsinki+may+soon+run+on+second-generation+biodiesel/1135219585500
I'm a bit confused. I thought all diesel vehicles could run on biodiesel without any modifications?
If that's the case, I'd love to see diesel plug-in hybrids, which would likely get amazing mileage and run on (if I have my facts right) carbon-neutral biodeisel. Since I can get B100 a few miles from my house, but would have to drive several states away to get E-85, this would be especially appealing to me.
What does superiority feelings have to do with this? Per person, Americans are emitting a lot more CO2 and other green house gasses than the average European. The National Energy Foundation has a nice map here:
http://www.nef.org.uk/energyadvice/co2emissionsctry.htm
Great! Time to invest in some Saab Stock. Already got some GM. I really want my next car to be a hybrid/biofuel vehicle, but I'm wondering how practical it would be. "?" In any case I'm just glad there are engineers out there working on the stuff.
" I'm a bit confused. I thought all diesel vehicles could run on biodiesel without any modifications? "
DG, yes in general this is correct. For any newer (97 - present) Diesel vehicle. High quality BioDiesel may but put directly into your fuel tank and you drive away!
However, for some Older Diesels, (the buses probably fall in this catagory) they may require changing some fuel lines and some engine seals in order to become BioDiesel compatable.
If you are interested www.tdiclub.com has a good forums board dedicated to thousands of people (mainly in the US) that are using BioDiesel in their Diesel cars (mostly VWs)
1st CO2 Neutral hybrid? Doesn't anybody remember the Ford Reflex? A diesel electric hybrid that Ford has been showing all over the country? Granted they didn't say that it was designed to run on Biodiesel, but then again VW doesn't say that my Jetta is designed to run on B100, but it does just fine.