I need to check into some details on this, but it’s certainly an interesting development that we should hear more about this week.
From Auto Motor and Sport, with a translation thanks to Frank!
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Saab will show a new 9-3 for biogas
Tuesday the 27th, a new Saab model will be unveiled in Gothenburg and it can be run on three fuels: gasoline, E85 and biogas.
So far we know no more than having the invitation to the premiere show, which will take place on Tuesday 27th October. The display is made in connection with an EU meeting in Gothenburg, where policy makers are gathered under the heading “Future Road Transport – safe and clean.”
In parallel with seminars and conferences for the heights in Europe to the dealer ANA Trollhättan show off a new Saab 9-3 1,8 t BioPower, which also will run on biogas. The car is a result of the project “Trifuel”, which of course refers to the car can run on the three fuels, gasoline, E85 and biogas. The project was coordinated by Innovatum Teknikpark with GM Powertrain Sweden AB, AVL and BRC Sweden AB.
The conversion to run on biogas will be made by ANA Trollhättan and Saab may thus have a competitor to Volvo V70 2.5 FT Bi Fuel and the Volkswagen Passat bestseller Ecofuel.
For company car drivers, gas-fueled cars that can run on biogas are especially interesting when you get 40 percent discount on the benefit value (not more than 16,000 per year). The rapidly growing interest in gas-fueled cars have put heavy pressure on supplies to the as yet relatively few gasmack services.
Biogas is methane gas extracted from organic waste and it is a very environmentally beneficial vehicle fuel that is carbon neutral. Methane gas is extracted as a byproduct of crude oil and natural gas is then called. The amount of biogas and natural gas can vary from filling stations.
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AMS also have a picture of a Volvo V70 converted to run on BioGas. The tanks are stored in an under-floor compartment so that the space loss is minimal.
Here in Australia we have a lot of cars that run on Liquid Petroleum Gas. Being a gas-newbie I’m unsure if this is a different product, or a different name for the same product (it’s a different product – SW).
Anyway, Australian LPG installations often involve a single large tank in the trunk, which does cause a loss of luggage space. I think they’re getting better at it in more modern cars, though (admittedly, I haven’t looked at an LPG car for a long time).
As AMS say in their article, it’ll be interesting to see how they solve the tank issue.
We’ll watch with interest as this is another good positive development for Saab.
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