Volvo is introducing Flexifuel versions of its C30, S40, V50 and new V70 that can run on any mixture of bioethanol or unleaded petrol.
Like fellow Swedish firm Saab's Biopower cars, Volvo's Flexfuel machines will provide slightly more power when running on higher-octane E85 ethanol, but with slightly worse fuel economy.
Predictably, of course, not many Flexifuel Volvos are likely to make it to the UK. There's a scarcity of UK filling stations selling bioethanol, and there are currently no government incentives to encourage the use of bioethanol as a low-carbon fuel. Volvo reckons its will sell around 7000 bioethanol cars in 2007, but most of them will be in Sweden. The UK is expected to take between 50 and 100 cars.
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