Saab Automobile Parts is expressing interest in working with National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) following its acquisition of bankrupt Saab today (3 September).
NEVS purchased the automaker along with its powertrain and tools division for an undisclosed sum, with the parts element now confirming it will sit down and negotiate with the consortium.
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“It is good news for Sweden, for Trollhattan where the production is and it is good news for the parts company,” Saab Automobile Parts CEO, Lennart Stal, told just-auto from Sweden.
“I guess we will start discuss [ing] whether we can cooperate on different areas, but we have not discussed yet – we have not planned anything yet but I hope we will meet soon.”
Saab Automobile Parts is separate from Saab Automobile Tools, which owns some of the production equipment and was part of the bankruptcy estate that passed to receivers in Gothenburg.
The Parts division will shortly come into the hands of the Swedish National Debt Office (SNDO) following the government’s deal to guarantee a loan to the former Saab from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The division is currently owned by the Estate, but will transfer within days to the Debt Office.
“The government is taking over shares for the Saab Automobile Parts company as they have that as a pledge for the loan that Saab took a number of years ago,” said Stal. “The government will buy shares from the receivers. We will not be part of the new company, NEVS. We will be owned by the SNDO.”
The Swedish government repaid US$325m to the EIB after guaranteeing the loan to Saab during its restructuring phase, with the automaker’s subsequent bankruptcy seeing the government body take a close involvement at board level.
As part of today’s deal, NEVS can use the name Saab, but not its former Griffin logo, after objections from truck manufacturer, Scania, surrounding use of the famous symbol.
