SAAB-NEVS’ Emily GT Concept Could See Production Afterall

• The electric sedan concept was developed by former SAAB engineers and designers working for NEVS.

• After it was unveiled earlier this year as a last-ditch effort to save NEVS, the Emily project attracted an anonymous investor.

• More details about the company’s plans are expected next month.

Thanks to an anonymous investor, there is now a possibility that the recently unveiled NEVS Emily GT prototype could enter production.

Earlier this year, NEVS unveiled the project it had been working on for the past decade as a last chance for survival after it suffered numerous financial difficulties.

The Emily GT prototype is a sleek electric sedan that bears more than a passing resemblance with the last generation of the SAAB 9-5 that was sold from 2009 to 2011, and for a good reason.

Indeed, National Electric Vehicle Sweden, or NEVS, is the company that bought SAAB went the small automaker went under back in 2013, keeping a large portion of its staff.

While NEVS focused on developing a new electric powertrain to install in SAAB 9-3 body shells, its designers and engineers were kept busy by working on the Emily GT project, which was to be its first new product since having acquired the automotive division of SAAB.

Due to very low sales of the electric 9-3 and numerous financial difficulties, including an ill-fated takeover by Chinese group Evergrande, NEVS didn’t manage to bring the Emily GT to production and now faces bankruptcy.

This could be avoided, however, since the project, which is reportedly very close to being ready for production, generated enough interest over the last few months to attract an anonymous investor, who could provide the funds needed to get the Emily GT to the market.

While not many details about the deal are known at the moment, conditions for the purchase reportedly include a clause that requires the Emily GT to be built at the former SAAB factory in Trollhättan, where NEVS is headquartered.

In addition, the same team of NEVS and ex-SAAB engineers will be retained for the completion of the project and its production.

Since the Emily GT is only a prototype, details are subject to change, but the specifications announced by NEVS seem promising.

Indeed, the sedan is powered by four motors installed in the wheel hubs that deliver 120 horsepower each for a total of 480. An even more powerful version generating 653 horsepower is also reportedly in the cards.

In terms of range, the Swedish company claimed up to 948 kilometres WLTP on a charge due to a very large 175 kWh battery.

As much as many enthusiasts would like this model to revive the SAAB brand for automobiles, this is unlikely to happen.

Indeed, SAAB still exists as a company that makes fighter jets and other defence equipment, and sharing its name with a now-unrelated automotive division apparently raises some concerns.

More details about the state of the Emily GT project are expected to be revealed next month.

Source: SAABplanet.com