Is 'biopower' the future?
Motoring Editor Peter Carroll gives the lowdown on a new breed of Saab, which the Swedish firm says will be kinder to the environment.
So what's going to happen when the oil runs out, then?Well, unless manufacturers have been beavering away coming up with engines that run on alternative fuels we are going to have to return to the horse and cart, aren't we?
Mercifully, that won't be the case as many car makers are already developing vehicles which will run on alternative fuels, though not many are ready for the market.
BMW, for example, has a hydrogen-powered 7 Series up and running, which generates zero harmful emissions, but it's not looking at commercial production just yet.
There are also plenty of electric cars around but they generally lack both performance and range. Swedish car firm Saab, however, has developed a 'flex-fuel' version of its 9-5 which can run either on petrol or a mix of 85 per cent bioethanol and 15 per cent petrol (known as E85).
This BioPower thing is just a concept car, right?
Wrong. Saab has been selling the BioPower 9-5 since November in the UK.
The 9-5 BioPower is equipped with a 2.3 litre turbo-charged petrol engine and was originally intended for Saab's native market which tends to embrace ecological issues with more readiness than other parts of the world.
But as the world begins to come to terms with the need to reduce CO2 emissions the use of bioethanol is starting to catch on in other countries.
So does the car cough and splutter and generally suffer reduced performance because it's running on sugar beet?
No. Bioethanol E85 fuel has a much higher octane rating than standard fuel (107 RON compared with 95 RON for standard unleaded) which means it offers better performance.
The 9-5 BioPower will hit 62mph in 7.9 seconds when running on E85 biofuel - compared with around 8.5 seconds when running on unleaded.
So not only do you get lower CO2 emissions, you also get even sportier performance.
This biofuel mallarkey uses newfangled technology and it all costs loads more than petrol, right?
There's nothing new about the use of bioethanol for fuel.
Some of the world's first cars, developed over a 100 years ago, ran on bioethanol and it has been used as emergency back-up fuel during times of war.
The only hard modifications necessary are more durable valves and valve seats and the use of bioethanol-compatible fuel tanks, pumps and pipes.
The fuel is around 2p cheaper per litre than standard petrol and Saab is lobbying hard for the government to provide more incentives to encourage motorists to switch.
But biofuel is difficult to find, isn't it?
If you live in the West Midlands it currently is difficult to source. The nearest pump is nearly 40 miles away at a Morrisons store in Swadlincote, Derbyshire. More E85 pumps are due to open, though, and Morrisons wants to roll them out on a national basis as soon as it can -Êso it shouldn't be too long before it's on sale here too.
What's the 9-5 like in general?
It's an excellent car - particularly spacious and comfortable. It's softer sprung than the competition from Germany, so it's very good for long distance driving. It looks good too and Saab is introducing new-look front styling which will sharpen up its range.
But the BioPower is not as economical as a diesel is it?
Irrespective of which fuel you put into the 9-5 BioPower, it's never going to be as frugal as a diesel, though it should return 25-30 mpg on the combined cycle. But if it's petrol you're after then it certainly makes sense to go for one of these.
And in the meantime the 9-5 BioPower can run on normal petrol?
It certainly can.
