Call for government commitment to biofuels

26 July 2007

Call for government commitment to biofuels

Saab is calling on the government to encourage the supply of biofuels in the UK.

Thanks to the success of its BioPower model range, which runs on bioethanol E85, Saab has become the largest supplier of flex-fuel cars capable of running on this renewable and sustainable fuel.

According to Saab its success is being driven by the popularity of BioPower in the company’s home market of Sweden.

Last year it sold around 11,000 BioPower cars in Sweden whilst a further 6,800 9-3 and 9-5 BioPower models were delivered to Swedish customers in the first five months of 2007.

This sales pace was maintained in June, when the Saab 9-3 BioPower range launched.

Jan Åke Jonsson, Managing Director of Saab Automobile said there was huge international interest in what was happening in Sweden regarding the technology and infrastructure for use of bioethanol.

Countries such as Norway, Ireland and France are following Sweden’s example by investing in a bioethanol infrastructure and everyday the company received requests for more information regarding its environmental efforts, he continued.

In the UK, Saab and a growing number of other companies and associations, continued to call on the UK government to show its commitment to environmentally-friendly motoring by putting more measures in place to encourage both the supply of bioethanol E85 and the sales of flex-fuel cars, added Jonsson.