The ethanol-powered Saab 9-5 2.0t BioPower has been honored with Popular Science magazine's 'Best of What's New' award, an annual ranking of 100 breakthrough products and technologies that represent a significant leap in their categories.
The Saab 9-5 2.0t BioPower will be featured in the December issue of Popular Science, the most widely read issue of the year. The vehicle also will be on display at the Popular Science 'Best of What's New' winners exhibition in Grand Central Terminal in New York City Nov. 8-10.
"We're pleased and honored to be named one of Popular Sciences" 'Best of What's New,'" said Jannke Jonsson, Saab Automobile managing director. "Near term, ethanol provides an effective first step to our energy challenges. It's a bridge that can lead us from fossil fuels toward new, sustainable technologies that are still under development."
Saab leads the premium vehicle segment in offering an ethanol-fueled vehicle, an eco-friendly renewable energy source. The Saab 9-5 2.0t BioPower combines the benefits of 'going green' with sporty performance, offering more horsepower than its gasoline equivalent, and the ability to run on ethanol-based fuel or gasoline in any proportion.
The vehicle is now on sale in Sweden, and Saab USA plans to debut a 300 horsepower concept version of the 9-5 BioPower at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show and the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In addition, Saab eventually plans to debut BioPower models in its 9-3 Sport Sedan, SportCombi and Convertible ranges.
Running on E85, a blend of ethanol and gasoline, the Saab 9-5 2.0t BioPower engine delivers 180 bhp and 280 Nm of torque, compared to 150 bhp and 240 Nm when using gasoline, a significant 20 percent increase in maximum power and 16 percent more torque. This gives even sportier performance. The zero to 100 kph (63 mph) dash can be accomplished in 8.5 seconds and 80-120 kph (50-75 mph) in fifth gear in 12.6 seconds, compared to 9.8 and 14.9 seconds when running only on gasoline.
Ethanol fuel is produced commercially from agricultural crops or forest residues. Unlike gasoline, its consumption does not raise atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), the 'greenhouse' gas that contributes to global warming. This is because emissions during driving are balanced by the amount of CO2 that is removed from the atmosphere when crops for conversion are grown.
"'Best of What's New' is the ultimate Popular Science accolade, representing a year's worth of work evaluating thousands of products," said Mark Jannot, editor of Popular Science. "These awards honor innovations that not only influence the way we live today, but that change the way we think about the future."
'Best of What's New' awards are presented to 100 new products and technologies in 12 categories: Auto Tech, Aviation & Space, Cars, Computing, Engineering, Gadgets, General Innovation, Home Entertainment, Home Tech, Personal Health, Photography and Recreation.
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