Date: Tue, 04 Oct 2005 18:32:55 GMT From: Paul Halliday <pjghnospamyonder.co.uk> Subject: Re: SAAB Bi-Power
in article ztednbuyutyfx9_eRVn-rwnospamast.com, Tex at texnospamm101.org wrote on 04/10/2005 11:31: > "Paul Halliday" <pjghnospamyonder.co.uk> wrote in message > news:BF67F747.15FBC%pjghnospamyonder.co.uk... >> >> If SAAB is to move away from petrol (and/or diesel) as the primary fuel >> source then this is a good first step. I suppose it depends what kind of >> hand-in-glove relationship GM has with the oil companies. > > It's going to take a bit more than just Saab cars to convince most petrol > dealers to also start vending ethanol based fuels. Without widespread > places which offer e85 fuel these vehicle offerings are moot. I know in > some parts of the US anyway (mostly in the midwestern states where corn > crops are king), ethanol blends are already offered at many fueling stations > (but it's hardly widespread). That's quite true. The fringe market it always interesting to watch, though. LPG (for example) is sold at a few outlets in the UK, but as you well put, it's not widespread. > Car companies today, including GM, realize that gasoline fuels are > invariably on the decline. Long gone are the days when it was populist to > think the car companies had an overly cozy relationship with the oil > industry. In 20 years, car companies want to sell double the number of > vehicles they are selling today. They know the only way they can > conceivably do this is by coming up with vehicles fueled by non-petroleum > resources. So the more important relationship here is between Saab and GM > itself...will GM want to plunder the Saab technology for use in its other > vehicles? I don't see why it shouldn't That would certainly give the > technology a chance to prolifer. I would hope they do. What I understood about the SAAB bio-power car was that it could feasibly run on petrol or E85 or any concentration in between. The Trionic-7 system is full adaptive to the fuel. I may be wrong. I may have read more into it. While I still see this as a first step towards a non-petrol car, it's a good step IMO. Unlike many other alternative fuels, the FFV is capable of running on petrol or a substitute (E85 in this case) without the need for a second fuel tank and without the need for an alternative fuel delivery system to switch over to. Now, one of these engines with a switch-over electric engine operating on the rear axle for in-town driving ... I'd buy one ... What I fear is a future where the sound of snorting V8s, burbling SAABs and grumbling TVRs are a thing of memory and a tear in the eye of the likes of you and me ... Sure, the air won't reek of petrol, but ... :) Paul 1989 900 Turbo S http://saab.go.dyndns.org/
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