Saab is Dead. Like, DEAD Dead

For real this time.

After entering bankruptcy in 2011 and getting saved by National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) and Chinese backers, Saab as a brand is officially dead. But that doesn’t mean its products won’t live on, as NEVS still intends to produce a vehicle based on the Saab 9-3, but with a full-electric powertrain for the Chinese market. NEVS plans to stick to its original plan when it first acquired Saab, which was to focus on sustainable mobility with electric car offerings and new mobility solutions built around them.

SEE ALSO: Saab Owner NEVS Announces New Lineup

The company has also signed deals with firms in China and Turkey to either supply vehicles or license technology. For now, NEVS will produce its vehicles at the old Saab plant in Trollhättan, but is eventually working towards production in China.

NEVS is also sticking to its plan of developing new models based on Saab’s Phoenix platform, with an ambitious timeline of introducing its first new model in 2018. Other vehicles on the drawing board include three SUVs and a sports sedan with coupe-like styling.

“Building on our car manufacturing heritage, we will continue to focus on quality, craftsmanship and people-centric solutions, but we will add new dimensions to our business through our partnerships and collaborations,” said NEVS President Mattias Bergman in a statement. “In doing so, we will leave the Saab trademark and go forth with a new identity that will support our large and increasingly important vision—to shape mobility for a more sustainable future.”

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