Saab owner NEVS, says it will be a leading electric vehicle manufacturer by 2020 as it gears up to launch its imminent conventionally-powered 9-3 and the alternative propulsion version next year.
“NEVS [National Electric Vehicle Sweden] is really a company created in order to be part of the on-gong developments in China today,” NEVS vice president purchasing, Per Svantesson, told last week’s Scandinavian suppliers body, FKG’s conference in Gothenburg.
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“By 2020 we will be a leading automotive manufacturer focused on electric cars. We can gain access to very good technology by talking to very good suppliers – we will talk with a select number of suppliers to develop what we need.”
NEVS is 78% owned by NME Holdings, founded in 2004 by main proprietor, Kai Johan Jiang, with the company in turn the owner of Beijing-based State Power Group, involved in clean energy development in China.
The City of Qingdao also owns 22% of NEVS through its subsidiary, Qingdao Qingbo Investment Co. As production at the Trollhättan plant reaches its capacity, a complementary manufacturing facility will gradually be established in Qingdao.
“The Chinese electricity grid is the seventh largest company in the world and they have been given a clear directive by the Chinese government to create infrastructure for electric cars,” said Svantesson.
The NEVS purchaser said production would start “before the end of the year ” – the automaker declines to be more specific – with a first phase encompassing limited volume.
“We are also going to launch an electric car next year based on the 9-3 platform naturally – it is a compromise,” said Svantesson. “We have our own batteries and a very cost-efficient product.
“We are a company without any debts – with the 9-3 the business case is pretty solid.”
NEVS added it had already bought the land in Qingdao and is looking to be a “leading player” competing with Tesla, while also supplying conventionally-powered vehicles
Beijing National Battery Technology, a China based sister company of NEVS, operates a manufacturing plant for electric vehicle batteries in Beijing.
The batteries are based on Japanese technology and have a high energy density – currently at 146 Wh/kg.
