Here’s Hoping Saab’s 9-3 Electric Doesn’t End Up A Saab Story

In 2012, NEVS acquired the majority of Saab Automobile AB’s assets and now, two years later, production has begun on their promised Saab 9-3 EV. In August of 2013, the Trollhättan Saab plant reopened and just over a month later, the first NEVS Saab came off the line to allow testing of new components and equipment. By the end of 2013, NEVS began selling directly to consumers, similarly to the way Tesla has done.

This will soon not be the only similarity between the two companies as Saab has sent out its first 200 electric 9-3s to Qingdao, China for government testing and to be fitted with batteries. This is no coincidence, as the city of Qingdao is a 22% stakeholder in NEVS and Saab aims to make China a primary target for sales.

In their current form the 9-3s only hold enough charge for a paltry 20 mile drive, but these numbers are expected to increase to a 115-mile range through development at NEVS battery factory, located in Beijing. Though details are limited, typical electric vehicle designs are being followed here and undercarriage mounted batteries will help keep as even a weight distribution as possible.

Saab has had a number of slogans over the years but a focus on the driving experience has been centric to Saab’s design and marketing over the years. Center-mounted window and lock controls keep the driver’s left hand steady, and there have always been a number of turbo models in their lineups. Advanced controls and amenities (like heated seats!) kept driving comfortable the whole year long, but behind these advanced features lie advanced electronics that are often where many Saabs go wrong.

Back in 2009, I purchased a 1995 Saab 9000CSE that had all of the above features with 126k miles for just $1,200. Leather, sunroof, heated seats, blah, blah, blah. Fun to drive and decent on gas, it started every time, but around the second month of ownership, I began to see the Saab’s many electrical gremlins. The climate control, radio, power windows and windshield wipers would cut out randomly, but not all at the same time, and the passenger’s power seat became stuck all the way forward. (The only car I’ve ever known that nobody ever called shotgun for. -Chris).

I put up with it on cold New England days with no heat. I put up with it in New York City traffic after an August Yankees game with no A/C. Then one day the windows wouldn’t work when a heavy storm was rolling in and taped up garbage bags were my only solution.  This was the proverbial straw on the camel’s back that led me to selling this complexly beautiful car.

These problems are not exactly “few and far between” on Saab forums. With electrical issues seeming to affect a wide range of models and years, it would be a serious concern if I were in the market for a Saab that relies almost entirely on electrical components.

That being said, hopefully the 20% of newly designed parts that have gone into the “new” Saab 9-3 will alleviate these concerns for potential buyers when the Saab electric lineup begins. With their sleek designs and dedicated fan base, Saab is the brand you hate to love, and it simply refuses to die.

Sources: SaabsUnited | InsideEVs

Saab Production Restarts, Electric Model Still Promised

Somehow, against all odds and good business sense, Saab has managed to stave off destruction and today the Swedish automaker restarted production of the 9-3 model. While initial vehicles are limited to gasoline engines, Saab has promised to introduce an all-electric model, which could be well situated given Scandinavia’s fondness for electric cars.

Purchased by a Chinese firm known as National Electric Vehicle Sweden, or NEVS, Saab 9-3 production is restarting with an eye towards China. Swedish customers will still be able to buy a locally-built 9-3 via a website, but right now Saab is looking towards the Far East for salvation. Part of those future plans include an electric model, though there are few details to deliver right now.

The only way I see Saab making the 21st century transition is with an all-new, built-from-the-ground-up electric vehicle platform. Something like that would cost upwards of a billion-dollars to build, so the more likely route is that NEVS is going to stuff an already-licensed EV drivetrain into the ancient 9-3 architecture, and the ending won’t be good. That said, NEVS is right on schedule with its promised production schedule, so maybe they are as serious as they seem. That’d be a nice change of pace.

I have always had a soft spot for Saab, and I am genuinely wishing for the best with him. At the same time I’ve got to be realistic about their chances, and the odds just aren’t that good that Saab will get the full-fledged investment it deserves. I hope I’, wrong, but betting against Saab is still the safest bet you can make.

Source: Motor Authority

Revived Saab could finally bring electric drive to the 9-3

Since the owner's name is National Electric Vehicle Sweden, there's got to be some plug-in action happening in the rebirth of the Saab brand, right? There sure is, but not until next year, says Automotive News.

NEVS, which acquired Saab out of bankruptcy in August 2012, is slated to re-start production of the Saab 9-3 midsize sedan at the company's Trollhättan plant in Sweden this week. And while the first 9-3 models will be gas-powered turbos, Saab will indeed start making an all-electric version of the 9-3 in 2014, though few concrete details have emerged about the car or its powertrain.

Word of a potential 9-3 EV has been out since late last year, when Autoweek said that the 9-3 convertible would be reborn as an electric-only vehicle. Saab last made cars in April 2011 and the revived company will target its gas-powered vehicles and EVs specifically to the Chinese market moving forward. Spyker acquired Saab from General Motors in 2010 after GM couldn't make a profit with the iconic Swedish brand. But Spyker didn't have much better luck and Saab was bankrupt by the end of the following year. The brand's new focus on China makes sense, since NEVS is actually partly owned by the Chinese city of Qingdao.

News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. via Green Car Reports

National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB acquires assets of Saab Automobile to create new EV company; first model based on 9-3 due year-end 2013/2014

National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB (NEVS)—an international consortium formed by Chinese, Japanese and Swedish stakeholders—and the Receivers of the Saab Automobile bankruptcy estate signed a purchase agreement covering the main assets of Saab Automobile AB, Saab Automobile Powertrain AB and Saab Automobile Tools AB. NEVS will establish a new automobile venture in Trollhättan, solely dedicated to development and manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs).

The first model to be developed will be based on the current Saab 9-3, which will be modified for electric drive using EV technology from Japan. Launch of the “Type 1 EV” is targeted at year-end 2013/2014. In parallel with EV conversion of the Saab 9-3, an all-new model will be developed (“Type 2 EV”), based on the Phoenix platform and additional technology from Japan.

Marketing and sales will be global, with an initial focus on China, projected to be the largest and most important EV market.

The acquisition includes all outstanding shares in the property company which owns the Saab Automobile facilities in Trollhättan, Sweden, as well as IP rights for the Saab 9-3 and the Phoenix platform. The price for the assets has not been disclosed. Saab Automobile Parts AB, as well as intellectual property rights for the Saab 9-5, owned by General Motors, are not included in the purchase agreement. A dialogue regarding the brand is in progress, according to NEVS.

Anne-Marie Pouteaux, Partner, Wistrand, Hans L. Bergqvist, Partner, Delphi, Receivers in bankruptcy for the Saab Automobile estate and Kent Hägglund, DLA Nordic, Co-receiver in bankruptcy for the Saab trademark and trade name rights said in a statement that:

The sale to NEVS is our most important action to realize the assets of the estate. From the outset, it has been our ambition to find a comprehensive solution by the summer, so we are very pleased today, having reached this agreement.

NEVS aims to become a leading manufacturer of electric vehicles by leveraging Swedish manufacturing and design skills; Japanese advanced technology; and China’s progressive initiatives in sustainable transportation solutions.

Recruitment to a number of key positions in the company is in progress, and the following step is to hire skilled engineers to the Trollhättan site, in order to immediately start the product development. The development will be conducted in collaboration between Swedish, Japanese and Chinese engineers.

China is investing heavily in developing the EV market, which is a key driver for the ongoing technology shift to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The Chinese can increasingly afford cars; however, the global oil supply would not suffice if they all buy petroleum-fueled vehicles. Chinese customers demand a premium electric vehicle, which we will be able to offer by acquiring Saab Automobile in Trollhättan.

—Kai Johan Jiang, founder and main owner of National Modern Energy Holdings Ltd, the majority shareholder of NEVS