30.3.2006
Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept: World's first fossil-free hybrid vehicle
The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is making its world premiere at the Stockholm Motor Show (March 30 - April 9, 2006). It delivers zero fossil CO 2 emissions, enhanced performance and a range of energy-saving features by combining the use of pure bioethanol fuel and electric power generation for the first time. The Saab 9-3 Convertible show car is the world's first fossil-free hybrid vehicle.
Packing formidable pulling power from its 260 bhp (191 kW) 2.0-liter turbo BioPower engine and 53 kW electric motors, the BioPower Hybrid Concept in the Saab 9-3 can briefly generate torque values three times higher than its gasoline-only equivalent.
The BioPower Hybrid Concept prototype is expected to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds, a substantial improvement compared with the 8.8 seconds for the equivalent gasoline model. The 80 to 120 km/h acceleration on 'kick-down' in just 5.5 seconds is even more impressive.
Saab's modular hybrid system features a maintenance-free, 300-volt battery bank, a 38 kW rear-mounted electric motor, a 15 kW integrated starter generator and all-wheel-drive with electric power transmission to the rear wheels. The entire system has been packaged without sacrificing cabin accommodation or trunk space, as demonstrated in the Saab 9-3 Convertible.
The all-aluminum 2.0-liter BioPower engine has been modified to run on pure E100 bioethanol fuel, giving zero fossil CO 2 exhaust emissions, and operates in tandem with the electrical power system. This offers fuel-saving stop/start functionality, torque-boosting electric power assistance on demand, an electric-only 'Zero Mode' for city driving, and regenerative braking.
"Hybrids will certainly continue to be interesting for Saab in the future and this project allows us to evaluate and explore the potential of hybrid technology in combination with BioPower," says Jan Åke Jonsson, Saab Automobile's Managing Director. "Although the exact hybrid application shown in this concept does not currently figure in our production plans, the project has been extremely valuable in helping us further our expertise. It shows how we could develop the sporty performance associated with Saab while using only renewable resources and saving energy overall."
The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is the first project to be announced under a joint investment program between General Motors R&D (Research and Development) and the Swedish government. Under this program a research and development office has been established in Trollhättan, Sweden, focusing on vehicle safety, engine emissions and advanced manufacturing in collaboration with Swedish universities, research laboratories and suppliers.