By EWAN KENNEDY 
11 September 2006

Saab is importing some examples of its new 9-5 BioPower model to Australia as demonstration vehicles.

The BioPower runs on E85, a mixture of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol. It has more performance than a similar vehicle running on 100 per cent petrol due to the higher octane rating of ethanol. On the downside it has higher fuel consumption, therefore less range on a given tank size.

Ethanol is a renewable fuel and is already being produced and used in Australia in small quantities. Generally it is sold as E5 or E10 at a number of service stations. The number indicates the percentage of ethanol, the remainder being petrol.

Unless modifications are made to the fuel system, most car makers don’t recommend using more than 10 per cent ethanol as the fuel is corrosive and can damage tanks, fuel lines and possibly alloys in the engine itself.

Ethanol is distilled from plants, with sugar cane being one of the principal sources, hence the strong interest from the Queensland government. In the USA corn is being used, and in Saab's home market of Sweden tree waste is the primary source.

Crops absorb carbon dioxide by way of photosynthesis. When the crops have been distilled into ethanol and used in an engine carbon dioxide is produced. It can be said that ethanol recycles carbon dioxide. Whereas petrol and diesel engines produce it without absorbing any. Carbon dioxide is, of course, a major contributor to global warming.

The E85 version of the Saab is already on general sale in Sweden and has been a huge success. However, part of that sales surge has been due to significant taxation and other cost savings because the Swedish government is anxious to promote the fuel. The Saab 9-5 BioPower is also on sale in other European markets, though sales numbers there aren't nearly so large.

Some governments in Australia are looking closely at ethanol fuelled vehicle. Saab is going to show them the BioPower vehicles and will also demonstrate them to potential fleet buyers.

These Saab 9-5s can run on everything from 100 per cent ethanol to 100 per cent petrol. The Saab Trionic engine management system being able to adapt to what it senses is being carried in the fuel tank.

We have requested an extensive test drive of the Saab BioPower cars when they arrive in Australia and will bring a full report shortly afterwards.