Here’s something I didn’t realise…..

I’ve always been wary of aftermarket E85 tuning kits. There’s a number of people selling them, saying that all you need is the altered tuning and the car will be OK. But what about the fuel tank, the fuel lines and injectors - all the bits that Saab modify on their BioPower models? Altering the tuning doesn’t change the physical makeup of these parts at all.

It seems that I shouldn’t be so worried, and that perhaps Saab are just being extra-cautious and installing the changed parts because it makes sense to do so. BSR have just expanded their range of E85 tuning kits. These kits are designed to re-tune gasoline-powered cars so that they can run effectively on E85.

And what’s more, it appears that the Swedish government are poised to give it the tick of approval in terms of getting congestion charge concessions etc, just like owners of BioPower cars from the factory do. From BSR’s website:

The new legislation taking effect 1 July, 2008, will make it legal to use E85 in petrol powered cars using approved ethanol conversion kits. BSR’s conversion kits will meet these legislation requirements…..

….The government has proposed that converted vehicles should be classified as “environment vehicles” granting them exclusion from road tolls in Stockholm city centre, free parking etc. Several Parliament parties have, influenced by BSR, presented bills proposing that converted vehicles should be allowed some kind of environment grant.

Re-registration?
Since the authorities are legalising ethanol conversion a reregistration of converted vehicles will be required. This will be carried out by the Swedish Motor-Vehicle Inspection Company, based on approved conversion kit certificates.

I’m sure BSR and other tuners will be licking their lips if that legislation does pass muster, as they’ll be in for a windfall from customers wanting E85 software conversions.

By the way, the BSR E85 tune for a Saab 9-3 2.0T takes the output from a measured 217hp (Saab say 210hp) up to a whopping 247hp running on E85. Torque gets a similar boost from 313Nm to 388Nm.

Not too shabby…..