National Electric Vehicle Sweden, which owns the main assets to Saab, has been given the green light to start producing electric vehicles at a plant in China. Now that it has the approval of the Chinese government, the company hopes to eventually produce 200,000 electric cars annually at its Tianjin plant, which is currently under construction.
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Part of the plan is to build 150,000 new 9-3 sedans for Panda New Energy, an energy vehicle leasing company in China. The new 9-3 will be an electric vehicle and won't wear a Saab badge.
It has been a long road for the electric vehicle company to get to this point. Back in 2012, NEVS rescued Saab from bankruptcy and acquired its assets. Later, NEVS lost the rights to use the Saab brand name on its future vehicles.
The Tianjin plant is expected to be operational by the end of this year. Along with the upcoming Tianjin plant, NEVS acquired the Trollhattan production plant formerly occupied by Saab.
NEVS wants to develop an entire line of electric vehicles and mobility solutions around the world "with China as the first and most demanding market for the coming years," the company said in a recent press release. NEVS' main office and R&D facilities are located in Sweden.
Source: NEVS
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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