Saab 9-5 2.3t BioPower Review
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Maybe one day we'll all be driven around in automated cars that run on a thimbleful of water and emit nothing more than the scent of a fresh summer meadow, but for now, this ideal remains the stuff of science fiction. Hydrogen fuel cells are still a decade away, and electric cars that can match or better the performance of fossil burners are similarly distant.
We're starting to embrace hybrids, but what about something that doesn't run on conventional, dirty petrol?
The Swedes are keen exponents of the green ideal, not least because they get more than their fair share of the pollutants of Western Europe drifting in their direction. So leave it to Saab to design the 9-5 2.3t BioPower for greener motoring.
Using a mildly modified version of the turbocharged powerplant that already performs well in Saab's regular 9-5, the BioPower engine can run on E85 bioethanol fuel, the same stuff the Ford Flexible Fuel Focus runs on. Here's the science bit: E85 is 85 per cent bioethanol and 15 per cent petrol. The bioethanol part is produced commercially through crops like corn and sugar cane, making it considerably greener than pure petrol.
Before giving biofuel a full thumbs-up, however, we must remind you that there is a significant amount of controversy surrounding its production. The crops are often high-maintenance and bad for some soils, and they've become so popular that farmers are growing them instead of conventional crops like wheat, thus driving up the price of food staples like bread.
Even so, it's a cleaner fuel, emissions-wise, and for a good-sized car it gets a decent 31.7mpg. What we didn't expect was that it would actually improve the performance and efficiency of the car to run on this kind of fuel -- running on petrol the 9-5 will sprint from 0-62mph in 8.3 seconds, and on a tank full of E85, the 0-62mph race takes 7.9 seconds.
Another convenient feature is that the clever engine management system can take any mix of E85 and petrol or 100 per cent of either, although it gives maximum benefits on a full tank of E85. How often you'll get a full tank of E85 depends, as it's only available at a measly 21 Morrisons supermarkets across the UK.
The strangest aspect of driving the BioPower 9-5 is how ordinary it is in every other way. It requires no extra forethought than a regular 9-5 so you can relax in the superb seats, surrounded by the classy and well-designed dashboard, and cruise to your destination with a smug smile of satisfaction.
This particular BioPower car's made in Trolhatten in Sweden, a country that the Swedish Trade Union Confederation describes -- as you'd expect -- as having a comprehensive code of statutes. We also like the fact Saab's dedicated BioPower site encourages greener driving through a series of interviews with Richard Branson, Quentin Wilson and Kevin McCloud.
It's worth noting Saab is owned by Saab Group and, in turn, World's Biggest Car Maker General Motors. It also has a bunch of non-automotive business divisions likely to raise ethical eyebrows including Saab Aerotech, which makes military jets such as the Gripen -- it's pitching them at the moment to the Indian government. Saab has other divisions supplying military hardware and services, too.
There's more to come on the biofuel car front in the future. Saab already has a concept car running on E100, which is greener still, and production methods for bioethanol are improving with the use of cellulose rather than crops. The beauty of the 9-5 BioPower is that it's green and available today.
Edited by Marian Smith
Quality
Value
Ethics
Green
