Saab's new owner is maintaining its plans to re-start sales of the brand in 2014, but it's not ruling out an earlier coming-out party.
National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), which acquired the iconic but bankrupt Swedish automaker this summer, is about 18 months away from debuting an all-electric vehicle based on the Saab 9-3 platform, which will start sales in China, the Swadeology blog reported, citing an interview with NEVS' Mikael Östlund. After re-launching the 9-3-derived car as an EV, NEVS will work on finishing development of an electric-powered vehicle on the so-called Phoenix platform.
Still, Östlund, who insisted that the 9-3-platformed vehicle would have a redesigned interior and exterior, didn't rule out re-launching the 9-3-derived model in gas-powered form next year in order to bring in some cash flow and ensure that consumers didn't forget about the brand. Additionally, NEVS, which has started talks with a number of former Saab contractors, plans on making the car at the Saab factory in Trollhattan, Sweden, and producing the batteries in China. Either way, the executive said the 9-3 EV will be the "first premium electric vehicle produced in volume."
Earlier this month, the Dutch version of Autoweek reported that NEVS may bring back the 9-3 convertible within 18 months, and that the car may be powered by an electric motor.
National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), which acquired the iconic but bankrupt Swedish automaker this summer, is about 18 months away from debuting an all-electric vehicle based on the Saab 9-3 platform, which will start sales in China, the Swadeology blog reported, citing an interview with NEVS' Mikael Östlund. After re-launching the 9-3-derived car as an EV, NEVS will work on finishing development of an electric-powered vehicle on the so-called Phoenix platform.
Still, Östlund, who insisted that the 9-3-platformed vehicle would have a redesigned interior and exterior, didn't rule out re-launching the 9-3-derived model in gas-powered form next year in order to bring in some cash flow and ensure that consumers didn't forget about the brand. Additionally, NEVS, which has started talks with a number of former Saab contractors, plans on making the car at the Saab factory in Trollhattan, Sweden, and producing the batteries in China. Either way, the executive said the 9-3 EV will be the "first premium electric vehicle produced in volume."
Earlier this month, the Dutch version of Autoweek reported that NEVS may bring back the 9-3 convertible within 18 months, and that the car may be powered by an electric motor.
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