Scheduled for the next Geneva Motor Show next spring is Bentley's bioethanol-powered versions of its large engine models. Currently in development, the luxury carmaker plans to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions from its lineup by forty percent within three years.

Why the rush? Well currently, its fleet outputs an average of 400 grams of carbon per kilometer—far from the newly set EU target of 130g/km average by 2015. Though the details have not been finalized, and it is speculated that this limit will only apply to companies that produce 10,000 or more cars annually, smaller companies such as Bentley will still face at least some demand to reduce its greenhouse gas output.
 
Only time will tell if the bet on ethanol will really shine through. After reports like the one recently released by Stanford University, sticking to ethanol may not be the best choice after all. That said, a Bentley spokesman had mentioned that while the focus now is on bioethanol, it’s only for short term. Biodiesel may become a possibility in the longer run.

Currently, Bentley is also undergoing negotiations with the British royal family over supplying use of these greener vehicles for state use.

+ Channel 4: Environment: Bioethanol Bentley to debut next year

Mark Jacobson, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and director of the Atmosphere/Energy Program at Stanford University, recently conducted a study that ranked alternate energies from best to worst. Ethanol was put to the test against, "Solar-photovoltaic (PV), concentrated solar power (CSP), wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, wave, tidal, nuclear, and coal with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology." After looking at reports of air pollutants from energy types on climate and air quality, and comparing how well each energy type was able to power vehicles, the study showed that Ethanol came in dead last.

It seems that the report found that wind-powered battery electric vehicles as well as wind-powered hydrogen fuel cells were the greenest ways to go. The immediate problem now, is the fact that driving a wind-powered battery electric vehicle is horrendously expensive, let alone impractical. And for its part, Ethanol has already received huge support from the automotive industry and the U.S. government. Finding an appropriately sized role for ethanol, with adequate support for the greener of the new green-tech is easier said than done.

+ AutoblogGreen: Ethanol turns out to be the worst type of renewable energy

 
The minimalist style and speedboat-like glass house are just two of the reasons that Saab’s 9-X Air made for a fine Paris debut today, and were also a huge hit with the company’s managing director, Jan Åke Jonsson, if our photos are any indication. Arriving at the Saab stand after the hubbub of the press conference had died down, we showed up just in time to catch Jonsson climbing into the Air concept, while making mention to some of his fellow executives that it was a car that he thought he looked good in. You go Jan Åke, work that “revolutionary Canopy Top” convertible!

Executive ego-bolstering aside, we were quite fond of the open top 9-X concept, which attempts to split the difference between the lines of a coupe and the freedom of a convertible top. The 9-X Air also manages the improbable feet of squeezing four seats into a body shape the really hides the extra space needed for that utility, a clever design trick that more automakers would do well to pay attention to. Saab claims that the car is as good for the world as it is to look at as well, with great excitement surrounding the car’s E85-burning, hybrid powertrain.

Have a look at the Saab 9-X Air (with and without Jonsson) in our gallery above, or read on below for the Saab press release.

Saab has announced its new hybrid compact, the 9-X BioHybrid Concept – which will bow officially at the Geneva Motor Show in the coming hours.

Over the past several years there has been a veritable tsunami of press releases from motorsports organizations around the world touting their “green

Lotus has announced that it will be bringing yet another version of its highly regarded Exige sports car to the Geneva Motor Show, this one serving as a test bed for sustainable, synthetic alcohol fuels.

Ethanol, as you would expect, has come under fire lately. And, apparently, fire is one of its major problems.

General Motors is looking to get American drivers talking again about its FlexFuel range of vehicles and the potential of E85 ethanol. Now the company is ready to put its money where your gas tank is.

Product placement’s everything. General Motors will be supplying a fleet of 75 vehicles for Hollywood’s super-glamour night, the Academy Awards.