Saab claims its new BioPower Hybrid concept provides V-6 punch from a four-cylinder coupled with zero-emission electric power and the capability of running on bio-ethanol (E100) fuel.
The concept—being showcased at the Detroit show in a Saab 9-3 convertible—uses the two-mode hybrid system that GM is co-developing with DaimlerChrysler and BMW. The first confirmed manifestation of this two-mode system is the 2008 Chevy Tahoe hybrid, but this Saab concept gives us a glimpse of other potential future applications.
In the Saab, a 2.0-liter turbo four works with a trio of electric motors to provide a maximum of 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. That's a useful step up from the 210-hp and 211 lb-ft delivered by the turbo-four alone. It's also an improvement on the 250-horsepower and 258 lb-ft that comes from Saab's 2.8-liter turbo V-6.
At speeds up to 31 mph, the Saab can run Prius-style on electric power alone. Away from the stoplight, electric and turbo power combine to give a 0-to-60-mph sprint in under seven seconds. And with some of the drive going to the rear wheels, the nasty torque-steer you get with front-drive turbo Saabs may be diminished.
More important, it's nice to see GM thinking about its hybrid system in the context of sporty cars instead of lumbering SUVs.
We are proud to present an innovative hybrid concept based on pure bioethanol. The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is a showcase of new technology that you may see in future Saab cars. Everything is neatly packed into a Saab 9-3 Convertible.
The hybrid concept includes a further development of our existing BioPower technology. By using 100% bioethanol the engine can produce even more power. At the same time fossil fuel emission is reduced to zero.
By coupling the turbo-charged engine with a battery-charged full hybrid drive system the car can deliver stunning performance and mileage.
The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is the world’s first hybrid vehicle without fossil fuel emission. And the world’s first hybrid soft-top.
Producing 260 hp (191 kW) from the 2.0-liter turbo BioPower engine and a total of 148 kW from its three electric motors, the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept provides significantly greater torque than its petrol-only equivalent.
Although it has the potential to run on E100, the all-aluminum 2.0-liter BioPower engine retains a flex-fuel capability and can use any combination of petrol and bioethanol.
The BioPower engine operates in tandem with a sophisticated electric power system, comprised of the two-mode hybrid transmission, a rear-drive unit (RDU), a 300-volt battery and sophisticated electronic control. It offers torque boosting electric power assistance on demand, fuel-saving stop/start functionality, regenerative braking, seamless gear changing from the continuously variable transmission modes and an electric-only 'Zero Mode' option for city driving.
Projected performance for the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept indicates acceleration from zero to 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds, a substantial improvement compared to 9.5 seconds for the equivalent 210 hp petrol model with a conventional automatic transmission.
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