The electrical part of the BioPower Hybrid is just as advanced as
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| If the 9-5 BioPower already manages to escape taxes and congestion charges, imagine what adding hybrid technology will do. (Photo: General Motors) |
any current gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle; it consists of a 42-volt integrated starter/generator, two high-torque electrical motors, one located between the five-speed Sentronic automatic gearbox and the flywheel, and the other between the rear wheels, all electrified by an impressively small lithium ion battery pack. The battery pack is out of sight and out of mind from the driver; it doesn't consume any interior or trunk space, as it's positioned beneath the trunk's floor, where the spare tire is normally located. The starter/generator provides instantaneous and silent start-ups, and it also takes care of the idle-stop system, which automatically shuts the gasoline engine off when the car stops, and turns it back the instant the brake pedal is released.
With
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| Front wheel drive, all wheel drive, or rear wheel drive. Go figure. (Photo: General Motors) |
a more powerful gasoline engine, and an electrical boost worth 6.7-horsepower and 89 lb-ft of torque, this one for the front wheels, and a 51-horsepower and 490 lb-ft (!) of torque electric motor pushing the rear wheels, you had better believe it that the BioPower is one quick vehicle. Saab claims it can hit 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds, besting the 8.7 second time of the non-BioPower 9-3 Convertible (which nevertheless seems slow for a car with almost 500 lb-ft of torque at its rear wheels - Ed.). Even more impressive is the 50 to 75 mph acceleration, which takes a mere 5.5 seconds. Unlike most Saabs, the BioPower Hybrid is all-wheel drive; when the traction control detects wheel-spin, the rear wheels instantly switch on, thrusting the car forward.
But enough about performance; hybrids are supposed to be
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| With the aid of electric motor, the BioPOwer Hybrid has more torque than the twin-turbo E100 Saab Aero X Concept. (Photo: General Motors) |
green, especially those touting an ethanol-fueled engine. The BioPower Hybrid is a full hybrid, which can function on pure electricity, as opposed to a constant mix of gasoline and electric, like GM's Tahoe/Yukon and VUE Green Line hybrids. 'Zero Mode', where the car runs solely off its electrical power supply can be selected by driver, forcing the car to function without the aid of the gasoline motor, effectively turning the 9-3 into a rear-wheel drive zero consumption, zero emission car. Yes, that's right, a rear wheel drive Saab. Of course, there are limitations on the mode - it lasts on average between 6 to 12 miles, and only at speeds under 30 mph. If exceeded, or the charge on the battery drops to a low level, the car automatically starts the internal combustion engine to replenish the supplies. This operation is essentially the same as Toyota's hybrids, as well as Ford's Escape Hybrid and Honda's new Civic Hybrid.
Like most modern luxury-minded hybrids, many of the 9-3's
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| When 'Zero Mode' is active, those two chrome-plated tail pipes won't be emitting anything whatsoever. (Photo: General Motors) |
ancillary systems, such as the stereo, air conditioner and power steering are supplied the necessary energy directly from the battery, allowing the car to shut off when idling, saving gas and reducing emissions. While Saab hasn't given any direct figures as to how much in the way of savings one might get by opting for this performance ethanol hybrid car, the brand commented on how it's able to travel upwards of 500 milies on a single 16.4-gallon tank of ethanol fuel, which works out to achieving roughly 30 mpg. But, the BioPower Hybrid is also more environmentally sound than the average gasoline-electric hybrid; when burned, ethanol is said to be completely carbon neutral, emitting no more CO
2 gas than what was taken in by the crops used for fuel. That's equal to an 80-percent drop overall.
