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Saab to Launch BioPower Flex-Fuel 9-5 [saabnet.com]
Posted by The Saab Network - http://saabnet.com/tsn/forms/e. (more from The Saab Network - http://saabnet.com/tsn/forms/e.) on Fri, 3 Dec 2004 18:01:49
Saab to Launch 9-5 BioPower Flex-Fuel Vehicle in Sweden
DETROIT - Saab Automobile AB will build a new 9-5 BioPower model fueled by
ethanol, an eco-friendly renewable energy source. Sales will begin next
summer, initially only in Sweden, home of Saab.
The Saab 9-5 BioPower flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV) will provide customers with
a premium-class car for the first time in a rapidly growing market niche that
is supported by favorable 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 percent less at the pumps than
gasoline. They will also be exempt from projected city congestion and parking
charges. In addition, company car drivers will qualify for a 20 percent
reduction in Sweden's car benefit tax.
On the road, the 180-hp Saab 9-5 BioPower running on E85 delivers sportier
performance due to a significant 30-hp boost in maximum power and 30 lb.-ft.
more torque, for a maximum of 206 lb.-ft., compared to its gasoline-powered
equivalent. While fuel economy in city and mixed driving conditions is
unlikely to show an improvement, preliminary testing indicates that up to a 15
percent gain can be expected at cruising speeds because of better combustion
with higher efficiency.
Ethanol fuel is produced commercially from agricultural crops and, unlike
gasoline, its consumption does not significantly raise atmospheric levels of
carbon dioxide (CO2), the 'greenhouse' gas that contributes to global warming.
This is because emissions during driving are essentially balanced by the
amount of CO2 that is removed from the atmosphere when crops for conversion
are grown. In contrast, the use of fossil fuels continues to inject into the
atmosphere additional new quantities of CO2 that have remained underground in
oil deposits for millions of years.
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 worked 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,' said Kjell Bergstrom, 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, initially only
in Sweden. Plans to expand into other markets have not been announced at this
time. Pricing is expected to show only a very small increase in comparison to
standard models.
Saab Automobile Chairman and CEO Peter Augustsson called on Sweden to lead
Europe's switch to the wide-scale production and use of ethanol. 'The Swedish
government and its agencies are to be congratulated in rising to the challenge
of encouraging an alternative and renewable energy source for transport,' he
commented. 'At Saab, we too are making a contribution in developing our 9-5
BioPower model for the Swedish market.
'Ethanol provides an effective first step. It is a bridge that will be built
in time, one that will help lead us from oil-based fuels towards new future
technologies that are still under development, such as hydrogen fuel-cell
vehicles.'
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