23.11.2004
Saab 9-5 BioPower for Swedish market

Saab today confirmed that sales of a new 9-5 BioPower model (originally called Flex-fuel at the launch in Paris) fuelled by ethanol, an eco-friendly renewable energy source, will start on the Swedish market next summer.

The Saab 9-5 BioPower will provide customers with a premium quality offer in a rapidly growing market niche that is supported by reduced environmental and business taxes. Its 2.0-liter turbo engine also delivers a significant performance improvement when running on ethanol-based fuel (E85), while still being able to use gasoline if necessary.

On the road, the 180 bhp / 280 Nm Saab 9-5 BioPower running on E85 ( 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline) delivers sportier performance due to a significant 30 bhp lift in maximum power and 40 Nm more torque, compared to its gasoline-powered equivalent.

Ethanol fuel is produced commercially from agricultural crops and, unlike gasoline, it does not raise atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), the 'greenhouse' gas that contributes to global warming. This is because emissions are balanced by the amount of CO2 that is removed from the atmosphere when crops for conversion are grown.

The Saab 9-5 BioPower will go on sale first in Sweden only. Depending on local infrastructure and customer interest other markets will be taken into consideration. Prices will be announced shortly and are expected to show only a very small increase in comparison to standard models.