A reporter from Sweden’s Automobil was returning a Saab 9-5 to the factory in Trollhatten when he stopped at a gas station to fill the tank. And what there did he spy with his little eye? A 9-3 Sedan being pulled up to the pumps, and in the back of that 9-3 was a trunk full of batteries. When the car was started, he realized that in the front of that 9-3 was a diesel engine. This has all led to speculation that Saab has picked up its previous work on a diesel hybrid engine.
Three years ago, in November 2007, some scribes visiting the same factory got an engineer to admit that General Motors and Saab were working on a diesel hybrid. The engineer said that, “We will get everything to work together. With the next generation of hybrid we can lower the fuel consumption up to 40 percent. This is possible with the use of more electricity.” Peugeot has a diesel through-the-road hybrid coming in early 2011, the 3008 Hybrid4. Would that Saab could get in front of that wave and reap the benefits instead of playing catch up.
Three years ago, in November 2007, some scribes visiting the same factory got an engineer to admit that General Motors and Saab were working on a diesel hybrid. The engineer said that, “We will get everything to work together. With the next generation of hybrid we can lower the fuel consumption up to 40 percent. This is possible with the use of more electricity.” Peugeot has a diesel through-the-road hybrid coming in early 2011, the 3008 Hybrid4. Would that Saab could get in front of that wave and reap the benefits instead of playing catch up.
[Source: Automobil via Saab’s United]
