Is Saab On Its Way Back?

Electric cars are possibly bringing back the brand of Saab, with the first cars being produced from the old Saab factory leaving the assembly line, the first since 2011. These new cars are designed as a test in calibrating line systems and to test new components before full production begins later on this year. While, these vehicles are gasoline based, the company is beginning to focus its efforts on the electric car market with the hopes of having an electric car in the market in 2014.

Saab Phoenix

Saab is now owned by National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), a Chinese company, who purchased the rights to the company last year. The company wants to regain promise in the automobile industry through electric vehicles. The company is utilizing engineers from Sweden, China, and Japan to create new automobiles.

Electric Cars

One of the bright spots in the Saab revival story is that they are working on an electric car with the hopes of being a larger player in the market. The development process for their first vehicle is underway and they hope that the first car will be ready in early 2014. The vehicle will be similar to the ones Saab just produced in September 2013, but will be modified for electric driving including a new exterior. One of the differences between the petrol-powered 9-3 and the new electric model is the addition of Phoenix architecture. NEVS is keeping any further details under wraps for now.

One of the positive things for the potential electric vehicles produced by NEVS is that the batteries for these vehicles are being developed by a Japanese company that has produced batteries for electric buses in China.

Looking ahead

There is a large market for electric, reliable, and affordable cars. People around the world are sick and tired of paying extravagant prices at the gas pump. Anything to help the average person in cutting back in demand for gas is a good thing. Saab already has the credibility of producing quality vehicles but it has to start largely from scratch in order to become a successful alternative in the electric car market, yet alone in the auto market itself. Experts believe that the electric Saab has to have an electric range of 150 miles and be able to accelerate and change pace comparable to other electric cars on the market, all of this while still being affordable.

The new Saab cars will be first available in Europe and China with the hopes of making it to the United States. If these cars ever make it to the States, it will be a large success which shows the market for electric vehicles is ever-expanding. Taking care of these new vehicles will be a chore on their own as most people have problems with their more traditional cars especially in the electric department. The Auto Stoppe Automotive Electrical department works with vehicles of all shapes and sizes and will be some of the first to find out what’s wrong with your vehicle even if you are driving an exotic new electric Saab. New foreign technology can be scary but if you ever need help figuring out what’s wrong with your vehicle there are experts who keep up-to-date on the latest updates in the automotive field.

While it is difficult to see Saab possible becoming an all-electric motor vehicle company, like Tesla motors, they appear to be in the right hands to make a vehicle that can be comparable in the market. There are challenges ahead of them as they attempt to make a cheap, reliable, electric vehicle. Having a new philosophy and plenty of new ideas can only benefit the company and the market waits to see what innovations they can come up with.