NEVS has signed a deal to get a full supply of batteries for it's 9-3 Electric Vehicle.

NEVS secures battery supply

NEVS has signed a strategic framework agreement with Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) to secure the battery supply for NEVS 9-3 EV in the Chinese market.

CATL is a Chinese leading energy storage solution provider headquartered in Ningde, Fujian, with focus on the research and development of li-ion battery (LIB) intended for electric vehicles. The company was one of the first nine battery suppliers that fulfills the domestic industrial standards and the government’s requirement for EV subsidies.

“CATL’s supply capacity and proven technology will allow us to shorten the lead time to the market, fulfilling both our demand in quantity and quality. Their local experience and network will eventually benefit NEVS’ own customers in the Chinese market. ” says Kai Johan Jiang, Chairman of NEVS.

NEVS received a total order of 250,000 EVs from Panda New Energy, an EV leasing company based in Beijing. Through NEVS 50% owned factory in Fujian, the first patch of 100,000 electric commercial vehicles have started to be delivered. The rest of 150,000 9-3 EV are scheduled to roll out from NEVS JV plant in Tianjin in 2018.

About CATL

Established in 2011, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) is dedicated to providing effective energy storage solutions through advanced battery technology.

The company possesses R&D and manufacturing capabilities for power and energy storage battery as well as core technologies for the whole industrial chain of materials, battery cells, battery system and battery recycling. CATL was awarded the "Annual China Energy Storage Industry's most influential Enterprises in 2015".

CATL aims to provide best cost to performance services to its customers through technology innovation and product differentiation. It is one of the leading EV battery providers globally and the clear market leader in China with a large portfolio of world class customers. At the end of 2016, CATL employed over 10,000 employees worldwide.

CHINA - NEVS receives electric vehicle production license in China based on old SAAB 9-3 Tech.

The Chinese government has today approved NEVS’ application to start production of electric vehicles in its manufacturing plant in Tianjin.

I am very grateful for the approval we now have received for the electric vehicle production license. It is an extremely important milestone for NEVS, which is based on 70 years of Saab long history. 

It means that we can take the next step to realize our vision - to shape mobility for a more sustainable future, says Kai Johan Jiang, chairman of NEVS.

The electric vehicle production license approved by the Chinese National Development Reform Commission (NDRC) is required in order to manufacture electric vehicles in China. 

NEVS is the first joint venture company with investors from outside China that is granted a New Energy Passenger Vehicle Project investment approval by NDRC.  

NEVS' manufacturing plant in Tianjin is under construction and planned to be up and running at the end of 2017, with the capacity of 200 000 electric passenger vehicles yearly.  

The electric car industry is growing rapidly in China. NEVS plan is to develop a product portfolio of electric vehicles and mobility services globally, with China as the first and most demanding market for the coming years. 

The immediate plan is to deliver 150 000 9-3 Sedan electric vehicles to the partner Panda New Energy, a new energy vehicle leasing company in China.  

NEVS utilises a new designed name and replaces SAAB, as they ready a new EV based on the old 9-3 platform.

NEVS’ vision is to shape mobility for a more sustainable future by focusing solely on electric vehicles with mobility solutions built around them. To support this vision a new brand identity has been developed – NEVS. 

NEVS will be the trademark of the company’s products including the first electric vehicle based on the 9-3 platform with start in 2017. That means that NEVS will no longer use the Saab trademark.

The automotive industry is changing rapidly to better fit societies struggling with pollution and congestion problems. NEVS intends to be in the forefront of this change.

With sincere respect to our history and heritage, we want to be recognized as ourselves – A sustainable mobility solutions provider who are committed to the environment with a focused growth plan with its own brand as a corner stone, said Mattias Bergman, President NEVS.

NEVS long-term business goal is set globally, with China as its first priority and most demanding market for the coming years. NEVS intends to build a strong footprint in China as a base for a global expansion, and continue to establish partnerships with forefront runners to shape the future of mobility solutions.

A number of framework agreements have already been signed, including a strategic partnership agreement with Panda New Energy to deliver 150,000 electric cars and another 100,000 electric commercial vehicles, as well as the collaboration with Chinese State Grid, the world’s largest electric utility company.

NEVS has a unique position by combining proven ability to develop and build high quality premium cars and at the same time the opportunity to build an automotive company for the future with new owners and partners specialized in for instance car sharing solutions and charging infrastructure.

"I believe the tipping point for electric vehicles is very near in many key markets. We aim to contribute to a more sustainable city planning, and together with our partners such as State Grid and Panda New Energy jointly introduce a new business model for mobility", said Jonas Hernqvist, VP Sales & Marketing NEVS.

A transparent approach – with traits such as being inclusive, honest and genuine – is essential for NEVS, both in terms of behavior and visualization. From colors to imagery, our new brand design should always reflect our aim of shaping mobility for a more sustainable future.

After a few false starts it is looking more clear that SAAB will be back, in China first, but who knows after that.

Nevs has signed a Strategic Collaboration Agreement with Panda New Energy Ltd., about 150,000 9-3 Sedan EV

National Electric Vehicle Sweden (Nevs) and the Chinese company Panda New Energy Co., Ltd. have signed a strategic collaboration agreement. According to the agreement, Nevs will provide Panda with 150,000 9-3 sedan electric vehicles until the end of 2020. 

In addition, the agreement also includes 100 000 other EV products and services from companies associated to Nevs and its owners. The total value of the agreement is 78 billion RMB.

Panda New Energy is a new energy vehicle leasing company with focus on low emission mobility solutions. Cooperating with many chauffeured car service platforms in China, Panda aims to become one of the biggest EV leasing companies in the world.

“This is a strategic collaboration for Nevs not only in terms of the numbers of vehicles, but it is also an important step to implement our vision and new business plan. In the long term, we want to provide our customers with both sustainable products and mobility services,” said Stefan Tilk, Vice Chairman Nevs.

”We are very pleased to form a cooperation with Nevs, a company with a rich innovation heritage and the right ability to fulfil our demands. Being in an emerging market for new energy vehicles, we are happy to find a partner who shares our commitment to the environment,” said Ma Chao, Chairman Panda New Energy.

National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB’s (Nevs) vision is to shape mobility for a more sustainable future, and focuses on the development of electric vehicles and sustainable mobility services. Nevs acquired the main assets of the former Saab Automobile in 2012. Nevs is Co-owned by National Modern Energy Holdings, Tianjin Binhai Hi-tech industrial Development Area (THT), and the Beijing State Research Information Technology Co., Ltd. (SRIT).

NEVS has been chosen by TÜBITAK as its partner for developing a Turkish National Car

TÜBITAK, (the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) which has been assigned to develop “Turkish National Car” and realize this important mission, has chosen National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB, Nevs, as the industrial partner for the project.

The cooperation has started in June 2015 between Nevs and TÜBITAK and future industrial synergies in terms of development and manufacturing shall be generated with this cooperation. 

In the short term perspective this cooperation shall put Nevs’ assets to work and shall give Turkey quick access to extensive automotive knowledge and experience.

Nevs shall also provide its know-how in the developing of the business plan and establishing of the supply and distribution chains to TÜBITAK.

Together with the new shareholders Tianjin and SRIT, the partner Teamsun as well as the cooperation with Dongfeng Motor, the cooperation with TÜBITAK is an important step in building up Nevs as a strong automotive company with industrial, technological and financial partnerships.

“I am very proud to have this strategic cooperation in place. Turkey will be a long-term partner and we will both gain a lot from this cooperation. With Turkey’s focus on electric vehicles we also see this as an important step towards our vision of shaping mobility for a more sustainable future”, said Mattias Bergman, President of Nevs.

Facts about TÜBITAK

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, TÜBITAK, is the leading agency for management, funding and conduct of research in Turkey. TÜBITAK was established in 1963 with a mission to advance science and technology, conduct research and support Turkish researchers.

TÜBITAK is an autonomous institution and is governed by a scientific board whose members are selected from prominent scholars from universities, industry and research institutions. TÜBITAK is responsible for promoting, developing, organizing, conducting and coordinating research and development in line with national targets and priorities. Further, TÜBITAK is one of the key institutions involved in the Turkish national car project.

The pictures above are from the final bacth of cars produced by NEVS before it went into administration, this car was it's self absed on teh SAAB 9-3, this car, and the SAAB name are in no way to be confused with the Turkish plan, as the SAAB name is not allowed to be used, and the exterior design, will in some degree will be changed in part or in whole.

Former CEO of Saab Automobile, Jan Ake Jonsson, has been charged with giving false testimony.

The former CEO of Saab Automobile, Jan Ake Jonsson, was charged on Wednesday with giving false testimony when the aftermath of the Swedish company's bankruptcy played out in court.

Jonsson was charged in a Swedish district court with giving false testimony over an import and wholesaler agreement in Ukraine in March 2011 when he was head of the automaker, which filed for bankruptcy in December the same year.

"The legal action is, in my opinion, groundless and premature," Jonsson's defense attorney Bengt Nilsson said in text message when asked about the charges.

Jonsson told Swedish business daily Dagens Industri that he was innocent of the charge. "As I remember it, the agreement was a correct one. This happened more than four years ago and at the time we had a string of other important things to deal with," he was quoted as saying.

Jonsson could not immediately be reached by Reuters for comment.

Two other former Saab Automobile employees were also charged in the case.

The Swedish carmaker, which had been making cars since 1947, was rescued from closure under its former owner General Motors through a sale to Dutch Spyker Cars in 2010, but the venture proved short-lived.

China's National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) bought the bankruptcy estate of the carmaker in 2012.

Jonsson joined Saab in 1973. He rose through the ranks to CEO and retired in May 2011 after fighting hard to save the automaker.

REPORT HERE

USA - SAAB continues to as if nothing has changed at this US dealership.

Nearly all Saab dealers reached a dead end after the Swedish brand's bankruptcy in 2011. But not Park Ave Saab in Maywood, N.J.

The dealership, about 10 miles from Manhattan, bought the customer lists of several defunct Saab dealerships in the New York City area.

Then it moved into a closed Suzuki store and started courting Saab drivers in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. With ads, service coupons and emails, it offers readily available parts, service and a selection of low-mileage used Saabs.

Park Ave's website is a portal for all things Saab, such as the latest news and rumors from Sweden, updates on parts and alerts when a used Saab is for sale.

The store's ultimate goal, explained General Manager Jeremy Morrissey, is to keep Saab customers happy. And when they are ready to quit their quirky Swedish cars, ease them into one of the company's other brands. The Park Avenue Auto Group handles Acura, BMW and Lotus at other stores nearby.

Die-hard loyalists

There are more than 10,000 Saab owners in the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania area, according to the customer lists, giving Park Ave a solid customer base.

The store's used-car and parts-and-service business has been strong, said Morrissey. In 2014, the store has:

• Averaged monthly sales of between 30 and 50 mostly high-end used cars.

• Billed between 600 and 700 hours per month in the service department. Park Ave employs two full-time technicians and a service writer.

• Boosted its parts business by targeting Saab owners and independent repair shops.

The store is posting a monthly operating profit of between $20,000 and $50,000 after all the bills, rent and wages are paid, said Morrissey, who has sold Saabs since the late 1980s.

"The Saab customer is very interesting," Morrissey said. "They are very emotional about Saab, and it amazes me the loyalty customers have to that brand. They'd rather pay top dollar for a used 2011 than buy a new 2014 Volvo."

So far, few die-hard Saab fans have quit the brand at his store. But that will change as the cars age and wear out, said Morrissey. He said customers often trade high-mileage Saabs from the 1980s and 1990s for newer models, such as the 9-5 from 2008-11.

About 450,000 Saabs are still in daily use in the United States, according to an estimate by Saab Automobile Parts North America, the Swedish-government owned business unit that distributes original equipment Saab service parts to 200 factory-authorized service centers in the United States.

"When [Saab] customers have had issues with their cars and are at the end of their ropes, they know this is the best place to trade their car because of our affinity to the brand," said Morrissey. "We give them top dollar for their car. We treat them and the car as if the brand is still in the United States."

Clock is ticking

Morrissey said he can sell all the Saabs he can get that were built in 2008 and later. He scours the Internet daily, goes to auctions and buys late-model Saabs from other dealers. He buys Saabs from all over the country and ships them to New Jersey. He also ships used Saabs to other states and to Europe.

Morrissey said the plan to service Saab customers is working well. But he realizes that the clock is ticking. Eventually, even the last Saabs built in 2011 will become too old to recondition and sell at a sufficient profit, Morrissey said.

"I expect the business to decline. Everything has a time limit," said Morrissey. "I think there will be a time period when we can ride the wave, maybe another two years at the best. Then you have to figure something else out."

Richard Truett

REPORT HERE

GREAT NEWS - SAAB is BACK, new Owner agrees to buy majority stake and subsidise current finances.

India's Mahindra & Mahindra has agreed to buy a majority stake in National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), the investment group that bought the assets of Saab Automobile two years ago, a report said.

NEVS' administrator, Lars Eric Gustafsson, said today in a statement that an Asian carmaker has agreed to purchase a majority stake in NEVS. Neither Gustafsson nor NEVS identified the company.

The website SaabsUnited said NEVS and Mahindra have signed an agreement for Mahindra to step in as majority owner of NEVS. The agreement is being kept secret until it is finalized the website said.

Gustafsson's statement said the Asian carmaker agreed on Nov. 30 to the deal and to finance the company’s operating costs until the agreement is complete early next year.

Gustafsson also said that NEVS is in talks with another Asian manufacturer on a joint venture to develop new vehicles.

NEVS, a Chinese-Japanese investment group led by renewable energy power-plant builder National Modern Energy Holdings, sought protection from its creditors in August after struggling to deliver on a target to produce 120,000 cars a year by 2016. That would have come close to the Saab brand’s 2006 peak annual ouput of 133,000 vehicles.

The potential majority shareholder has offered to provide bridge financing of 5 million euros ($6.2 million) a month to cover operating costs until the agreement is complete, NEVS said. Pending due diligence, the company said the deal should be finished by February.

NEVS was granted permission by a Swedish court on Aug. 29 to carry out a reorganization of the company. It applied today to Vaenersborg District Court to extend the reconstruction period by three months.

NEVS said it had trouble paying its creditors after its shareholder, Qingbo Investment Co., didn’t fulfill a promised investment of 1.15 billion kronor ($155 million).

Saab was previously owned by General Motors Co., which acquired full control in 2000, before selling it in 2010 to Dutch supercar maker Spyker NV, which failed to revive the brand. The auto business split from Saab AB’s aerospace operations in 1990.

Gustafsson's statement said the majority owner will negotiate with Saab AB to use the Saab brand name and badge. Saab AB withdrew permission after NEVS applied for creditor protection. NEVS expects to be able to renegotiate the Saab brand agreement following a solution to its funding troubles.

Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reported on Aug. 5 that NEVS was in talks with Mahindra & Mahindra and China’s Dongfeng Motor on funding, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the talks.