Over 28% (6,450) of the 23,000 new cars sold in Sweden in September were alternative-fuel models or petrol-electric hybrids according to Swedish Automobile Manufacturers Association BilSweden.
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The country’s BioAlcohol Fuel Foundation (BAFF) calls ethanol-petrol models ‘hybrids’ (the common term elsewhere is ‘flexfuel’), counting them together with petrol-electric hybrids.
A spokesman said it was not unusual in the European Union for cars able to run on two fuels to be called hybrids whether they ran on petrol and ethanol, petrol and electricity, diesel and electricity, or petrol and natural gas.
Ethanol-petrol hybrid and petrol-electric hybrid technologies are now widely accepted in Sweden, BAFF chairman Per Carstedt said in a statement.
BAFF said the market is dominated by 24 models of ethanol-petrol ‘hybrids’ from 11 manufacturers and two brands [Toyota and Honda] of petrol-electric hybrids.
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By GlobalDataVolvo, Saab, Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota are top sellers with Peugeot and Renault as runners-up, BAFF said, without providing data.
European vehicle makers association ACEA data shows 17,721 vehicles were sold in Sweden in August, the latest month available, down 23.2% year on year. YTD sales were off 11% at 174,134.
“The pending EU legislation for reducing CO2 emissions and reaching a 10% level of renewable energy for the transportation sector by 2020 requires action now as new cars have a life expectancy of 15 years,” Carstedt said.
“Ethanol hybrids have an important role to play and are in the short and medium term offering the most cost-effective technology for rapid CO2 reduction and lower dependency on fossil fuels.”
The ethanol hybrids in Sweden are fuelled by E85 – 85% verified sustainable ethanol from Brazilian sugar cane and 15% 95 octane petrol.
E85 is available from 1,300 filling stations (35%) throughout the country – a number rapidly growing.
Ethanol could easily be used instead of petrol in upcoming electric hybrid models and so-called mild hybrid models, he added.
It took ethanol hybrids four years to go from zero to 25% of the Swedish new car market and year on year sales increased 110% in September, a noticeable shift by consumers into vehicles less dependent on fossil fuel and emitting less fossil carbon dioxide, BAFF said.
