SAAB’S 9-3 CAR WILL BE RETURNING AS NEW ELECTRIC CAR INTO PRODUCTION

By: Luke John Smith

Photo: www.express.co.uk

Saab faced bankruptcy in 2011 before the company shut its doors in 2012. The Swedish car manufacturer would only live on in the used car markets and no vehicles were set to be ever produced again. This was until the 2013 when National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) acquired most of the assets from Saab to allow the powertrain and skeleton of the cars to be used under a new name as well as the factory they were produced in. Now NEVS has begun production of its fully – electric version of the old 9-3.

The cars are been put together at a factory in the port city of Tianjin and the factory there has a capacity to build 50,000 units per year. NEVS is owned by the Evergrande Group, who is yet to share any details about the new Saab-based electric sedan. Evergrande Group bought a controlling share, of 51 per cent, in NEVS in January for 6.4 billion yuan ($932 million).

When NEVS produces its first EV it will use the parts bought un the acquisition of Saab. The launch of the EV 9-3 is expected to acceleration NEVS’ timetable to produce cars in other Chinese cities. NEVS’ parent company has also acquired Shanghai-based EV battery supplier CENAT New Energy and two overseas electric motor makers.