NEVS Talking To Unions

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I have no idea how I missed this one yesterday, but while checking on all things SAAB/NEVS this morning I came across another great piece by Just Auto. Simon Warburton has a great article there about NEVS talking to unions ahead of a 9-3 recruitment drive.

That’s right, NEVS says they are talking to unions concerning its 2013 9-3 production that will be its first electric vehicle.

This would seem to be very smart on their part to seek out the unions in advance as these same unions had been burned through the administration and bankruptcy. Don’t forget, the ink hasn’t dried on the Saab deal and the deal is expected to be completed next month. I have to say that NEVS is taking things very serious and as much as to all of us, it may seem that nothing is happening, this proves to be far from the truth.

Some important points from the article are:

Saab’s four main labour bodies were involved in laborious and sometimes bitter negotiations during the Swedish automaker’s slow plunge into bankruptcy that saw its near-4,000 members made redundant, but have now started discussions with the new operation.

It is not thought Saab’s largest union, IF Metall, representing around 1,400 former blue-collar workers is among the initial target of union negotiations, but NEVS is looking to recruit its white-collar colleagues in the engineering sector.

From those two points you can see that as much as there were bitter negotiations in the past, the unions seem willing to enter discussions with the new owners which is a good sign for everyone. One could argue that they have to enter said discussions but either way they are there and participating. The second point seems to make sense too although I wish it could be fast tracked. They are looking to recruit white collar workers in the engineering field before recruiting blue collar workers because the blue collar workers at this time will not be needed with no production starting just yet. The second point is where it becomes increasingly difficult to not lash out at the likes of GM and the Swedish Government for both parties lack of doing just about anything for Saab and the Swedish workers.

They clearly DO have a plan and they are following a carefully thought out plan and process of getting there as you can see from what NEVS are saying.

“At this stage, there is the management team and then engineers [while], further on when production starts, there obviously will be production capacity that we have to recruit. We don’t want to make estimates.”

As far as the ideas of NEVS purchasing SAAB to gut it and send production away, which to me never made sense especially after the purchase back of all of the Saab facilities, NEVS had this to say:

“We have a first class production facility here and we will use Japanese technology – development and production will be in Trollhattan, said the NEVS spokesman.

We all know that China will be a big part of their EV sales and it makes sense. China is a very large market and when you look at where China is headed in EV sales, it makes even more sense.

“We can start from day one. Our market is global, but initially we will focus on the Chinese market because of its progressive investment in infrastructure needed for electric vehicles, charging stations, battery stations. Their [China’s] solution for the future is nothing else than electrically-driven cars.”

NEVS seems to cleerly understand that it will need to mend fences with suppliers that were burned by the previous SAAB and it would appear that they are hard at work doing just that. To be fair, NEVS was not in control when SAAB went into administration or bankruptcy and should be viewed by any potential supplier as a completely new company and one that would make sense for them to do business with. If NEVS had not bought SAAB and was just a new company coming to do business, nobody in a good or bad economy would want to just turn business away.

“This is a new company being built and we will make the 9-3 model in the future,” said the NEVS spokesman.

“Of course we will need good relations with the suppliers – that is obvious.”

Although they will not put a figure on their production forecast, they do understand what is needed to get there. Of coarse this piece still leaves a lot of questions unanswered like anything other then EV’s but we’ve become accustomed to do the wait and see there and we have to continue for the time being.

 

 

63 thoughts on “NEVS Talking To Unions”

  2. 1. Some SAAB employees work again
    2. The Factory will produce cars again
    3. The SAAB name will be carried on as well as a version of the 9-3
    4. Looks like GM and their drive trains have finally been eliminated from SAAB
    5. Watch out Chevy Volt, the 9-3 will make you obsolete

    • hope you’re right, in North America the Volt sold 1878 units and to me at least, it look like hell. Funny it even looks like it has a mini Aztek rear.

      • As an aside, much to my amazement I am having no
        problem getting my Aero serviced and needed parts are available
        fairly quickly.

        • Can you give me a hint what I can tell my German dealer to speed up the parts ordering process? I have been waiting for a particular part (right side mirror cover for a ’03 9-3) since january.

    • A car form nevs ….with the SAAB brand mark..and full of batteris ….well..that isn’t a SAAB it’s a fake car from
      “Note Even Vehicle Systems” or nevs who never going to be a SAAB.

      And why talk about NEVS..I don’t care about them let them do what ever they want as long they stay of my SAAB.

      • You may not care but I think some do. You don’t have to read when I post about NEVS if you like. When things come out about NEVS, we kind of have to cover it here.

      • I care about NEVS AB. SAAB isn’t just a name, it is a culture. That culture included Trollhattan, and the people of SAAB. NEVS may not inherit the name, they may not even build cars that I can afford or use, but I’m very interested in what’s happening with them. I’m also interested in the technology, and welcome articles about them, so please keep up the good work SU!

        And to everyone that thinks NEVS AB = NEVerSaAB – don’t be so shallow!

        • I care about Trollhättan I care about SAAB ….but I can’t give any of my sympathy and best wish to success to NEVS who together with the Swedish government just was the totally final nail in the coffin for the brand. ..So I do care.
          Nevs only connection to my former employer is the facilities. They got a few nice buildings in Trollhättan and Stallbacken and NEVS isn’t in any more interest than for an example the restaurant “The Bishop Arms” in Trollhättan as they bouth operate in Trollhättan ,they both have the same number of production of cars, and an equal right to use the brand SAAB.
          For me SAAB is a car, a car that I find exciting and amusing to drive. A car that I say ,”yeah let take her for a drive”. For me SAAB has been a part of our family, My dad worked at SAAB, My mother worked at SAAB,I worked at SAAB. And now some “battery producer” come and base their business plan on a foretell and prediction of china government… btw, who might seem to be wrong.
          And leave there back to the owner and other by say:
          No spare parts and no other market than China
          And that you want me to backup? ? ?

          • I can understand that you are disappointed with what has been revealed up to now regarding the plans from NEVS. It does not seem to include cars that we think is something for our Swedish requirements.

            But hopefully there is more to come out of this. Sadly it seems that it will take much longer than what most of us would have liked. But instead of blowing of steam why not wait and see for a few months. One thing is sure and that is that we have not seen everything yet,

            I’m still hoping for some sort of hybrid and I think it must come in the roadmap for NEVS. Unless there is a major breakthrough in battery technology or fuel cells which would make me equally happy.

          • The foul stench of government intervention on behalf of the “greens” (who seem to have taken over Europe and are trying here in the U.S.) permeates this whole sorry affair. But like it or not, NEVS is the only way forward for Saab now.

            Hopefully their business plan will accomodate working with an automotive partner to build real, usable automobiles that people will actually want to buy even without govnernment coercion.

            • Our government is in the SAAB auto case stupid.
              Yes they probably support the initiative.
              Did they make an intervention and stopped the other candidates, I do no think so, I don’t think they would have the guts to do such a thing.
              One problem with Sweden is that many civil servants want to comply to the last detail of regulations and cannot make exceptions.
              So forget the tin-foil hats and accept stupidity.

              • You may of course be correct that it was not deliberate, but…

                1. The fact that Swedish government did not want traditional auto manufacturing and that it acted in an obstructionist and destructive (and yes, stupid) manner towards Saab has been well documented and discussed at length here on SaabsUnited over the last year.

                2. Whether each of us individually approve of them or or not, or think they are necessary or not, we can certainly all see the draconian “green” regulations being imposed by the European Union. There is no tin-foil hat required to make that observation.

                3. We know that a newly-formed electric car consortium that essentially sprang out of nowhere was suddenly permitted to edge out more qualified and conventional bidders for the Company that had put much time and effort into their acquisition plans.

                It is not difficult to connect the dots here!

  3. Seeing pictures of the last ‘Spyker’ 9-5’s and that great looking Independence edition 9-3’s I think what happened to Victor Muller’s dream was a dreadful waste – it appears a lot of ‘narrow’ minded people in Sweden were involved plus of course a few vindictive people in ‘Motor City’. I still want Victor Muller to come out of this with something. He deserves it. Why doesn’t NEVS sell Spyker a few rolling chassis of the ‘new’ old 9-3 when they start production and let Spyker put in a petrol turbo engine – call them a Sypker 9-3. A lot of us would buy one I’m sure!!!

  4. Off topic but something that ticked me off earlier today. I just received the below email from GM. Do they have any clue how insensitive there BS email spam is to 2010/2011 Saab owners…FUGM!

    Dear GM Owner Center User,

    Upgrade to the new, more comprehensive Owner Center from GM. We want to ensure you enjoy the new Owner Center experience without losing your current information.

    If you haven’t already transferred your records, you need to do so now. As of July 18, 2012 your current account information will no longer be available through the current Yahoo! Owner Center.

    A one-stop resource for all your owner needs, the new Owner Center from GM brings you more benefits than ever. Track warranties, access your OnStar1 and GM card2 accounts, view automated dealer service history and more—all from one, convenient location.

    To continue experiencing all your current Owner Center benefits, login to your current Owner Center and transfer your account information.

    Sincerely,
    The GM Owner Center Team

    • These people at GM are a bunch of morons. Period. They think a person who drives a Saab today might want to drive a GM tomorrow. They are pathetic.

    • I got this too and the worst part was that they had every logo from Hummer to Saturn and even Oldsmobile but not Saab!

      • They probably had a focus group that figured it would be seen worse to have Saab on there because they were sold and no longer a GM discontinued brand like the others. I think if Saab was on there it would bug me more.

  5. http://chinacarstrucks.com/2012-07-12-the-old-saab-9-3-reborn-in-china-as-an-electric-vehicle-the-baic-c60/

    So this BAIC C60 looks kind of familiar. Wonder how an electric NEV-Saab is going to work out in China, since they would pretty much be the same thing…

    —-

    This are Saab 9-3’s bought by BAIC from Saab. BAIC thinks that a higher god gives them the right to put their logo on that cars. This is just a technology mule from BAIC to demonstrate their EV, and their lack of respect for IP or other kind of copyrights.

    Show me the VIN!! I bet BAIC suddenly also uses YS3 as World Manufacturer Identifier.

    BTW, if you compare the first C70 prototype with the last one, you will see that the first one was only a slightly modified 9-5 and the second was a very different car.

    I hope you stop getting too excited about BAIC.

    //RedJ

    • NEVS has repeatedly said that it’s main focus will be the China market, but I’m still not sure how the NEVS 9-3EV could be price competitive with the BAIC 9-3EV when the BAIC car is made in China and not subject to (exorbitant) import tarrifs.

      • Yeah with NEVS repeatedly stating that they are focusing on China, I don’t see how they could overcome the fact that essentially the same identical car is already being built there, in electric form by BAIC. (At least right now without the Phoenix platform being anywhere near ready for a number of years.)

        You’re right about the import tarrifs, which will really hurt the price point of the NEV 9-3. Not to mention all of the transportation costs.

        I wonder how BAIC will react with NEV’s trying to push its product in China.

        • To add onto that, I didn’t even realize that this electric BAIC 9-3 will be available in China within this year…

          Certainly complicates things…

        • I wonder if the guys from NEVS even knew that the “NG 9-3” is already in China?
          Although no one out here know if it’s put together using parts that are any good. Something you can trust with a established brand. Like my long time indy mechanic told the other day how it’s ‘interesting’ that Opel bolts always tend to snap after a few years while Saab bolts open…
          Great business plan BTW to leave out the engines from cars like the 9-3 Griffin that still looks better IMHO than the trendy competition. The new BMW’s are all some Angry Birds/Jaws look-a-likes nowadays. Are Saabers supposed to get into those? Don’t thing so.

          • As far as I know BAIC only has the rights for the pre face lift 9-3 so till 2008 and not the ones from 2008 so this care can not be produced like this, if they do NEVS should enter a leagle case and get tonns of cash out of it…

            • I think you’re right. This must be a regular THN car that they’ve slammed the SAIC emblems on, claiming it’s an EV -if that’s what they did in the article?
              Is this how business ethics work in China. Geez.

      • You don’t understand. The chinese loves foreign brands, even if they are made in China. BAIC can duplicate a 9-3, but it is the brand that counts in China. The price tag don’t matter, only the middle can afford such a car. They are willing to spend the money.

        • Being a white who’s married into a Chinese family, trust me, I know this fact all too well.

          But if NEVS doesn’t get the SAAB name then a lot of this will be moot in comparison to competing with BAIC.

          • I really do believe they will get it. There is no point in producing cars in THN and sending it all the way to China with no brand on it. These are smart, capable people managing NEVS.

    • Wow, if these pictures are correct, NEVS may want to rethink about targeting China first, or rethink the whole no petrol thing. The soap opera continues…

      • Maybe China is the only market that will accept a car that’s (by 2013 or 2014) an 11 or 12 year old design that’s suddenly become electrified? I’m guessing NEVS might dip it’s toe in the EV market in China with the old 9-3 before trying to launch a Phoenix based model on other markets later. Although BAIC and others are hardly going to welcome NEVS with open arms in China let alone the tariff barriers. NEVS business plan as a car manufacturer makes little sense so it’s pretty hard guess at it’s aims. But then perhaps it’s ultimate aims are technology and building EV platforms without actually making many cars at all?

        • An interesting piece in the Automotive News China “http://www.autonewschina.com”. As to NEV`s aims – I have my own views on that – and they`re not very positive.

    • That looks like a fake to me. Why would an electri car need a turbo gauge, an rpm indicator, and an automatic gearshift? Or a huge air inlet? It is a normal 9-3 with some badges added.

  6. I guess Mahindra must be waiting until the NEVS deal is finalized before it enters into a cooperative deal with NEVS? That probably makes sense as doing it earlier could jeopardize NEVS purchase arrangements. Let’s hope that’s the case anyway.

    • I hope so too. So is the Mahindra “backdoor” collaboration with NEVS still a speculation at this point, or is there some indications of it actually happening ?

      • Mahindra neither confirms or denies anything until things are actually concrete. That is the way they play the game. I guess we can only hope?

  7. This piece makes interesting reading “http://www.autonewschina.com”. Check it out. It should be of particular interest to those who think NEVS is the best thing since sliced bread.

  8. Many good things in that article.
    But also some worries:
    – “Japanese technology” – Generally the car-tech of Saab has been so superior to Japanese car-tech that this could mean a step downwards – unless it is solely some specific battery-tech
    – Nothing about Phoenix/Hybrid
    – The commitment to the Chinese market mainly

    It will be interesting to hear more about those subjects that can be decisively regarding whether Saab will have a future or not…

    • SAAB has no future. NEVS has a future, but only for the length of time that it suits the Sino/Nippon partnership running it.
      The article was about EVs in China, not specifically about the Phoenix/hybrid, or anything connected to what was SAAB. And you say some worries – the whole article is negative re EVs and the market in China.

  9. Hey guys, It’s too bad they can’t duplicate Nicola Tesla’s electric device. With permission from Pierce Arrow, he put an electric motor in the Pierce Arrow, and his electric box on the front. Then he hooked up a couple of antennas and drove the car away (up to 90 MPH). He harnessed power from the atmosphere. Back then, that made Mr. Westinghouse angry and wouldn’t talk to Tesla again. After all, how can you charge people for free energy?

  10. If BAIC are building Saab based cars in China at a greatly reduced price to real Swedish ‘Saabs’ what is the point of concentrating on the Chinese market? We will be back where we are now in a few years. This has the SweGov written all over it and Id love to know the extent of their involvment.

    Interesting note that UK sports car manufacturer TVR isnt building cars anymore, they are building wind turbines.

  11. Its worth remembering that Bristol cars future under Frazer Nash is planned to be an electric one just like our beloved brand.

    • Perhaps not exclusively electric? Our main gripe here. Anyway at least you won’t have to live in China to buy one!

      • Well that is true but at Bristol prices I doubt many could afford them anyway.Regarding Saab I just hope the minds behind this venture can see oportunities not apparent to us right now and can make (hopefully) the Saab brand work once again.

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