Holden EcoLine

At Holden, we're on a journey. Heading in a direction that we like to call 'Future Friendly'. It's about providing you with a range of cars that give you better fuel efficiency today, while continuing to develop next generation fuel advances that are more efficient and better for the environment.

We've called this range of vehicles 'EcoLine'.

Being future friendly means that we're investing more in new technologies and developing more alternative fuel vehicles than ever before.

It's not just about the future though. Diesel versions of the Epica, Astra and Captiva as well as Commodores that run on LPG are all available in the showroom today. These cars are designed to be friendlier on your hip pocket at the bowser, and that's never been more important than now.

Soon we'll be launching a V8 with Active Fuel Management (AFM), which is so intelligent it can shut down four cylinders in certain driving conditions for better fuel efficiency. We're developing engines that run on up to 85% ethanol, and we're constantly improving the heart of the Commodore, making sure that Australia's favourite car will remain that way for many years to come.

So yes, we have a philosophy for the future, but we're looking after you in the present as well.

More information:

• Diesel
• LPG
• AFM
• Ethanol

What Makes Diesel Engines Different?

Diesel engines are self-igniting and don't require spark plugs. To achieve self-ignition, diesel engines require a compression ratio up to double that of a typical petrol engine and this higher compression ratio leads to better efficiency.

Benefits for You

• Excellent Economy
  Available on Holden passenger cars; Astra, Epica and Captiva, diesel engines are up to 20% more fuel efficient than their petrol counterparts. The fuel savings when travelling in a country as vast as Australia are significant.
  
  
• Enhanced Performance
  Today's diesel engines are engineered to deliver potent turbocharged performance. The exceptional amount of torque available at low revs adds to the driving experience, particularly when driving up hills, overtaking and towing.
  
  
• A Longer Life Span
  The nature of diesel internal combustion makes it necessary for the engines to be heavily constructed, so they last longer than petrol engines.
  
  
• Environmental Sustainability
  Future-driven, advanced diesel technology generally has less impact on the environment with diesel engines typically emitting less CO2 than their petrol equivalents. Significant fuel savings also help conserve the world's precious energy resources.
  
  
• Convenience
  Diesel engines can travel much further on a tank of fuel than an equal sized petrol engine in an equivalent vehicle. A greater fuel range means fewer trips to the service station.
  
  

 

What is LPG?

Holden's LPG Dual Fuel system allows your vehicle to automatically and seamlessly switch between petrol and LPG, starting on petrol and reverting back to LPG when the optimal temperature is reached. You also have the option to change between petrol and LPG with a simple press of a switch on the console.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or Autogas is a mix of the natural hydrocarbons C3H8 and C4H10. It is colourless, odourless and heavier than air. Unlike the LPG that fires your gas barbecue - which is propane - car Autogas is a mixture of propane and butane, with the addition of a sulphur-based chemical to give an easily detectible smell for safety reasons.

Benefits for You

• Large car comfort, smaller car fuel costs
  LPG is a much less expensive fuel than petrol. So when you opt to power your Commodore Omega sedan, Berlina sedan or Omega Ute with an LPG Alloytec V6 engine, you can look forward to fuel running costs comparable to that of many popular smaller cars that run on petrol.
  
  It's an obvious win-win. You enjoy all the comfort and roominess of a large vehicle, retain all the safety features that come standard on the equivalent petrol model, and yet still cut your fuel expenditure in a big way.
  
  
• More flexibility and more kilometres between fills
  The opportunity to reduce your fuel bill is not the only reason to choose the LPG Alloytec V6. Being a dual fuel engine, it also enables you to travel enormous distances between fills. Indeed, with both petrol and LPG tanks full, you could drive over 1,100km³ without needing to pull into a service station.
  
  The engine's dual fuel capability also gives you added flexibility and convenience. For instance, you could run on LPG and fill up on petrol only when prices are low. Or run solely on petrol should you be travelling in a part of Australia where LPG is unavailable.
  
  3 Calculated using ADR 81/01 fuel consumption figures of 15.5L/100km (LPG) and 10.8L/100km (petrol) and two tanks of 73L capacity in a Commodore Omega sedan. Fuel consumption will depend on many factors including your driving style, the prevailing conditions and your vehicle's equipment, condition and use.
  
  
• The power and performance you expect from Holden
  With a sophisticated LPG sequential gas injection system that mimics the engine's petrol injection sequence, the LPG Alloytec V6 delivers 175kW of peak power running on LPG. Rest assured, your new vehicle will drive like a Holden should, regardless of the fuel you're running it on.
  
  In fact, not only is there no significant performance difference between LPG and petrol, the cylinder by cylinder cutover process means you can switch seamlessly between the two.
  The LPG Alloytec V6 engine is also engineered to last, and features ultra-durable Stellite valves and valve seats to resist LPG's reduced lubricity.
  
  
• The more you drive, the more you save
  Exactly how much you'll save on fuel costs by opting for LPG depends on how much you drive.
  
  The Federal Government offers a $2,000 rebate to eligible private buyers who opt for dual fuel LPG. So your decision to equip your new vehicle with the LPG Alloytec V6 engine is likely to pay for itself quickly, and then repay you many times over.
  
  Rebate applies to eligible private customers only. Only one grant per person every 3 years. For more information on the LPG Vehicle Scheme see www.ausindustry.gov.au
  
  
• A full warranty and virtually no additional servicing requirements
  When you choose the LPG Alloytec V6 you can take comfort that all parts and equipment are manufactured to Holden's exacting quality standards and are covered by a full three year/100,000km warranty. The engine also complies with the stringent Euro 3 emission standards.
  
  Even better, the LPG Alloytec V6 makes no difference to service intervals, with just an LPG vapour filter requiring replacement every 15,000km, and a liquid filter every 120,000km.

 

What is AFM?

Active Fuel Management (AFM), available on all Holden V8 (automatic transmission) models from 2009 is an exciting new Holden technology that temporarily de-activates four of the eight engine cylinders in certain driving conditions when less engine power is required.

Benefits for You

• Adapted for Your Driving Conditions
  Most V8 cars have more power than owners demand in all conditions. With AFM, owners can save fuel. The Gen IV 6.0L (L76) engine saves fuel by using only half of the V8 engine's cylinders and seamlessly reactivating the other cylinders when you need additional power for acceleration or load.
  
  
• Fuel Efficiency
  If you often travel long distances at steady speeds you can expect lower operating costs and fuel-efficiency improvements. You can look forward to gains of up to 1.0 Litre per 100km and potentially more in certain driving conditions. And these V8-powered vehicles don't have to compromise on the outstanding peak power of the Gen IV 6.0L (L76) engine to go further on a tank of fuel.
  
  
• Reduced CO2 Emissions
  It's not just fuel that you're conserving. Active Fuel Management reduces Greenhouse Gas emissions to the same extent as it reduces fuel consumption.
  
  
• Seamless Transition
  The engine's Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) is used to balance torque following cylinder deactivation or reactivation. All cylinders are reactivated when you require acceleration or full torque, the transition takes less than 20 milliseconds and is virtually impossible to detect as you drive.

 

What is Ethanol?

The ethanol industry is a young industry with great potential. In the future the techniques used in ethanol production and the vehicles able to run on it will be very different. Europe and the US are great examples of countries who have adopted this new fuel technology, with Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) - able to run on any blend from E10 to E85* - already available for at least five years.

All current holden vehicles are enabled with E10 Ethanol fuel capability (with the exception of Astra TwinTop). This means that these vehicles can use fuel blended with up to 10% ethanol. E10 is available at more than 600 service stations nationally, and sales of E10 are growing rapidly.

GM is the leader in FFVs, with over 3 million FlexFuel vehicles on the road in the US (GM FlexFuel vehicles can run on E85* ethanol, petrol, or any mix in between).

E85* ethanol, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol, is a mostly renewable fuel that can be made from several plants, such as switchgrass and willow. Australian ethanol production is currently derived from the by-products of sugar and wheat processing.

Benefits of Ethanol

• A reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  E85* ethanol helps reduce CO2 being added to the atmosphere because significant amounts of CO2 are absorbed by the plant source during its growth cycle.
  
  
• Enhanced Performance
  E85* has a higher octane rating than petrol, which allows for more power and torque.

*E85 is not yet widely available in Australia