Driving Solutions Based On 'Green Fuels'

Summary

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Consumer interest in cleaner and greener auto technology is exploding, even in the United States. From fuel cells to plugin hybrids, the industry is showing more research and development zeal than at any time since the golden days of 1900, when gasoline, steam and electric vehicles (ev's) competed in the marketplace. This spring's car salon in Geneva, Switzerland was greener than ever, and one manufacturer dominated the headlines for its BioPower engines: Saab Cars of Sweden. These days wholly owned by gm, Saab introduced yet another BioPower model - the 9-3 production car - now available with a flex-fuel engine which runs on regular gas or gas with an 85% ethanol content. But the star and talk of the show, the car that became the favorite image for major European news media was the Saab 9-5 concept car, optimized to run on pure bioethanol (EIOO) fuel. Run with bioethanol, Saab turbocharged engines create a whopping 300 hp from its 2.0-liter engine, all with substantially reduced C02 emissions. Wherever you looked, BioPower and Saab's new concept car became the symbol for this year's wave of environmental concerns among consumers, politicians and automakers.

The Swedish manufacturer has for many years been the choice of the independent souls, the choice of those who not only value security and responsible driving but design and performance... these days of the right kind. In Europe, Saab is first and foremost also the choice for more environmentally correct performance. Saab drivers leave a smaller C02 footprint, and yet, receive a lot of muscle in their cars. More performance at less cost for nature... an oxymoron? Hardly. For Saab, which started developing turbo-driven engines with lower cylinder volumes before everyone else, the connection is a natural: BioPower in the form of cars fueled by ethanol mixes of 85%, sometimes now even 100%, brings more horsepower to less cylinder volume. "It's natural and it's a natural for us," said [Jan Ake Jonsson], CEO of the formerly fledgling Swedish car company. "The effect you get from any given engine is the result of the efficiency of the mix of air and fuel, optimized by our turbo engines. More air to a given volume of fuel brings less emissions but also more power to the car."

Saab's production processes have had a productivity development of 5% to 15% per year, Jonsson said. "All of Saab's development, all of its cars are based on social responsibility; cars have always had to be secure and functional - today, also responsible in the environmental sense: Driving Saabs should make sense in every way. And yet, at Saab we have taken our concept one step further, making sporty, progressive design and performance part and parcel of the cars' looks and driving experience as well."

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Driving Solutions Based On 'Green Fuels'

Consumer interest in cleaner and greener auto technology is exploding, even in the United States. From fuel cells to plugin hybrids, the industry is showing more research and development zeal than at any time since the golden days of 1900, when gasoline, steam and electric vehicles (ev's) competed in the marketplace. This spring's car salon in Geneva, Switzerland was greener than ever, and one manufacturer dominated...

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