SAAB News: Saab To Live Again As A Electric Car Maker

[William Maley]

William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

June 13, 2012

Despite the heavy odds against it, Saab will rise up once more.

Today, Saab’s bankruptcy administrators, Anne-Marie Pouteaux and Hans L. Bergqvist, announced that National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB has agreed to purchase a majority of Saab. National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB is a consortium made up by Hong Kong-based National Modern Energy Holdings Ltd. and the Japanese investment group Sun Investment LLC.

The deal includes a production facility, Saab Tools, test facilities, Saab Powertrain, and the 9-3 architecture. Not included intellectual property rights to the 9-4x or 9-5 and Saab Parts. Neither one of the parties would reveal the purchase price.

At a news conference earlier this morning in Trollhattan, NEVS chief Karl Johan Jiang revealed the that the consortium will use the Saab name. Also, NEVS said their first vehicle would be based on the current Saab 9-3 with Japanese technology and come out sometime in late 2013 or 2014. The vehicle will be built in Trollhattan.

Source: The New York Times, SaabsUnited

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[G. David Felt]

Why do I see this as the GOV wasting money there to try and save union jobs on a dead product line.

Electrical plug in SAAB will not save this company. I guess they feel with the down eruo economy, it was probably pennies on the dollar to pick up the pieces and give it a try. At least then when it fails they can say we tried one last time.

I truly believe CNG is a better focus than Electrical at this time.

[Drew Dowdell]

So they got old Epsilon 1 out of the deal to make electric cars but not Epsilon 2 nor Theta.

Good luck with that...

... but what of the Phoenix platform?

[William Maley]

... but what of the Phoenix platform?

That will be their second car.

First product for Saab will be a developed 9-3 Electric Car. The 2nd will be a new generation 9-3 built upon the phoenix platform combined with cutting-edge Japanese technology.

[crash900s]

I am a bit dubious. Will there be a hybrid or is it all electric? Who bought the ip for epower?

[Drew Dowdell]

Well it sounds like they're bringing their own epower.

[Intrepidation]

The brand that won't die. Should be interesting.

[ocnblu]

A fork has been stuck in SAAB so many times it's a joke, and the final taser shot of electricity is unfunny.

[A Horse With No Name]

I wish them the best!

[fullmoon97]

this should be interesting.

[regfootball]

and so many want to aspire to be like Sweden, Norway etc.

The 9-3 is ancient! good car, maybe there will be a plug in BLS sedan!!!

Yeah this reeks of govt propping up to save jobs....lol but how is this different than here?

at least it keeps the brand............

sucks ass that the 9-5 is not continuing..... I test drove one and really loved it.

[A Horse With No Name]

I'd actually like if they built something like the old 900...THAT was a neat car!

[yougojay]

SAAB - 'Born From Jets' ...to... SAAB - 'Plug Me In'

Someone needs to let the sleeping (dead) dog lay