Like the news from last Wednesday said, Nevs celebrated the ground breaking yesterday in Tianjin, China, There will they build facilitates for production and R&D, with a capacity for 200 000 units/year.
Chairman Kai Johan Jiang was on site together with president Mattias Bergman, and they even had more news to come with; a new partner. This new partner is Teamsun, a it-company based in Beijing. Together with State Research Information Technology (SRIT), Teamsun and Nevs has registered two new joint ventures, one for production and one for R&D. The investments in the joint venture will be initially 1 billion RMB/CNY (~161 million USD) respectively 200 millions RMB/CNY (~32.2 million USD). At the same time, Nevs announces a agreement with Bank of China that grants Nevs a credit of 10 billion RMB/CNY (~1.61 billion USD) to support Nevs business in China.
So what now? Nevs is as we see on their way back in business, but this is only a small step. There will be many more small (and of course some big) steps before we all can breathe out, and the Stallbacka factory again produce cars again. We can only cross our fingers, if the good news continues as it has done so far this spring I hope it not will be the last positive news we hear from the guys at Nevs this summer!
Read the full press release under the picture!
National Electric Vehicle Sweden (Nevs) held its project launching ceremony for the production and Research&Development joint ventures in Tianjin Binhai Hi-tech zone on 28th June, marking the start of Nevs strategic setup in China.
Nevs Tianjin factory will be focused on new energy vehicles with an annual capacity of 200 000 units. Nevs will have two global production units with Trollhättan factory to support the Tianjin factory with manufacturing planning, workers training and product supply in the initial stage.
Nevs recently announced two new strategic shareholders of Nevs from China with the city of Tianjin and State Research Information Technology, SRIT.
Now two Chinese joint ventures are registered, for Production and R&D. Besides Nevs the parties are SRIT and the It-company Teamsun, which investments initially will be 1 bn RMB respectively 200 MRMB. The three parties will combine their industrial and software engineering competence to co-develop future car connectivity systems.
At the same time the Bank of China in an agreement with Nevs granted a credit of 10 bn RMB, to support the development of Nevs’ business in China.
There will be a close collaboration between the R&Ds in China and in Sweden to generate future vehicle technology and to develop tailor-made vehicle models for the Chinese consumers.
Based on the engineering expertise and experience in Sweden, the R&D in Tianjin is also designed to provide excellent engineering service to other Chinese brands that will create industrial synergies with Nevs’ own products.
“The two JV establishments in Tianjin will be a strong complementary to our existing resources in Sweden, and is an important first step for Nevs to pave the foundation for further development in China,” said Mattias Bergman, President Nevs.
The Tianjin city’s fast growing national level demonstration zone THT embraces a long history of automotive industry and has put great focus on green innovation. The cooperation with THT will give Nevs a strong foothold on the increasing EV market in China.
Facts about the two Chinese parties in the two joint venture companies:
Beijing Teamsun Technology Co., Ltd. provides system integration services and software development and services in China and internationally. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Beijing. The related company Green Investment, wholly owned by Teamsuns’ major owner, is the formal shareholder.
SRIT is a pioneering IT service provider owned by China’s Research Development Center of the State Council, and the telecommunications giant China Unicom. The wholly owned subsidiary BRSIC is the formal shareholder.
Looking forward to buy a EV Saab in some couple of years. I am in!
A “couple” of years? Good luck with that.
Kai Johan Jiang takes both positions of chairman and general manager of National New Energy Vehicle (NEVS Tianjin), Stig Guunar Nodin named general manager of National Auto Technology Development Co.( NEVS Tianjin R&D center), but the complicated investors background (SRIT and Teamsun) make it harder for Kai Johan to play a bigger role in China
http://www.d1ev.com/38971.html
It sounds like positive news for NEVS and their fans—-but is it related to Saab at all? Will they be building electric Saabs at that new plant in China, where they are investing all of this money in China for Chinese jobs?
My view also Angelo. I think we need a second site, one for NEVS. Which I would read also, but I’m getting confused about what is Saab, or if any of this going forward is about Saab.
Chris, I think that’s everyone’s question right now. I think people just want to finally know if there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, or if it’s time to just enjoy our current Saabs till they cannot run anymore. In a strange way, the fact there is a “maybe” still, is what keeps us coming back for more. Just imagine if you were a Pontiac fan and had no chance of your brand breathing life again. Sometimes being a dreamer is the next best thing to achieving the dream itself. If you never dreamed would you regret it… Read more »
Nick: That’s the crazy thing though. At this point, I honestly believe there’s a better chance at seeing Pontiacs built again than Saabs. There have been a few rumblings at GM about building a Firebird or other Pontiac model and selling it through GMC Trucks. It’s an extreme long shot, but we’re now staring at an extreme, extreme longshot with NEVS doing anything with regard to building a Saab. GM is still building desirable, stylish, gas engined cars. It’s not too big of a reach that they might tweak a Camaro to be a Firebird or come out with an… Read more »
NEVs stated at their open day that there would be two production centers , one in China for the Chinese market, and one in Sweden for the rest of the world. They also stated that more than one brand name would be used. The current announcements relate only to the Chinese operation, which appears unlikely to use the SAAB name. If NEVS are allowed to use SAAB name I would expect it to only apply to Swedish production. We shall have to wait for further announcements in relation to Swedish production, the mockers here will state that it will never… Read more »
With this setup, there is no way Saab AB will grant Nevs the Saab name. This is a Chinese manufacturing and technology grab and the Swedish government let it happen. In my opinion, the Saab name is dead and those who think they will some day buy a Saab Nevs are involved in nothing more than wishful thinking.
There is maybe a fourth partner not named yet that might get the Brand name SAAB if not NEVS will get it back. That partner will hopefully produce Hybrid cars in Trollhättan with models from 9-1 to 9-9. I will wait and see what happens before i give up. No other car manufacturer on planet earth can make me buy their cars, so i will start to collect old cars so i won,t have to buy a new car of other another brand if the worst thing happens. Let´s keep our fingers crossed that NEVS can save SAAB.
possible ….
although can anyone explain why if SAAB AB did not grant the use of the brand, they are still using the domain http://www.saabcars.com, and the website does depict SAAB all over?
If there is no intention to grant the use of the brand, I would ask NEVS to move their website to a different domain.
PS: NEVS did not go bankrupt, therefore depending on how the previous contract was written, but the right to use the brand may still be valid
possible ….
although can anyone explain why if SAAB AB did not grant the use of the brand, they are still using the domain http://www.saabcars.com, and the website does depict SAAB all over?
If there is no intention to grant the use of the brand, I would ask NEVS to move their website to a different domain.
PS: NEVS did not go bankrupt, therefore depending on how the previous contract was written, but the right to use the brand may still be valid
Fine. Let’s call on Saab AB to put a stop to this then. It’s really on Saab AB, not NEVS. If NEVS isn’t supposed to be using the name, yet they are—-that’s just NEVS being NEVS, disregarding the rules. The onus is on Saab AB to get one of their legal team to write a cease and desist letter to shut down that website or at least remove any reference to Saab from it—and retitle it, getting “Saab” out of the title. If the cease and desist doesn’t work, then it’s time for Saab AB to take NEVS to court… Read more »
So now we have:
SAAB/NEVS – Sweden
SRIT – China
Teamsun – China
Mahindra – India
Another Asian group (OEM2) -Asia somewhere
Or is OEM2 the group in the article?
We don’t know for sure yet whether Mahindra is in or out. We’re still waiting for the major OEM deal.
Well. we can only hope that this has some bearing on seeing Saabs built in THN again, But it’s really kind of disgusting (to be polite, I can think of worse words) to nickel and dime their Swedish creditors and settle for 50% on the dollar (or Krona) when they damm well knew there was almost 2 billion USD waiting to be finalized…shame on you NEVS. Why would any supplier ever trust you again?
There probably wouldn’t have been any deals signed unless NEVS’s debt was written down. By the way, claims below 500 000 SEK were paid in full, and that was more than 90% of the creditors.
The creditors could have said no to the composition proposal, but they didn’t. They said yes.
would they have said yes, or would the judge have approved the extension based on write-downs, if they had any idea that was 16,000,000,000 SEK just waiting for the write downs? About 104 creditors had debts over 500,000 SEK. As far as I know, they didn’t release the total, but if we assume the average amount was 1,000,000 SEK, the total write down would have been about 50,000,000 SEK or about 6,000,000 USD. That’s a rounding error when you’re talking about 16,000,000,000 SEK.
You are forgetting that these almost 2 billion usd are not just some impressive sounding number. That’s an investment which is intended to serve some purpose. So, it may sound like big money out of any context, but if you compare the money with a list of the goals they want to accomplish with it, this number could stop sounding impressive. Investments, big and small, are made after certain assessments are done and no one is going to give more money than the needed. No one is going to say: “Oh, you have debt? We will give you some more… Read more »
The big money is coming from a bank. Nevs needs a hefty loan, which is understandable as they are broke yet remain the majority owner. You make it sound as if it were an outside investment, when in reality It is debt. Nevs couldn’t pawn their property in Sweden to raise funds in the end, so what did they do? The did what they had to to get money, which means building a similar size property in China and thus having two nearly useless rd and manufacturing sites. One thing will remain – they will have a hard time finding… Read more »
I don’t think I make it sound like the big money is outside investment, because that’s beside my point. People were unsatisfied with NEVS wanting a debt reduction and then securing a relatively big amount of money through investments and loans. I don’t see the contradiction here.
Avelik: You and I don’t often agree with each other’s viewpoints, but I have always respected your thought process and practicality. I wonder—-where do you see this saga in let’s say, five years? Specifically, will NEVS or their partners be producing cars with the Saab name? Will NEVS be producing any cars? Will KJJ still be running the show? I’m asking you to take out your crystal ball—-something you don’t like to do because you seem to prefer dealing in hard facts instead of opinions and conjecture. But you must have some opinion?
What do you mean by swedish creditors?
I think most of the large creditors were from outside Sweden.
SRIT …… hmm that’s one letter away from caca. And here is NEVS staff doing what they’ve been good at for the past 3 years ….. “shoveling it”
http://saabsunited.saabklubben.se/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/Ground-breaking-ceremony-Tianjin20150628-820×461.jpg
And of course the press release has absolutely no mention of the letters “S-A-A-B” anywhere. When are the rest of you going to stop drinking the Kool-Aid and realize this is not a future that concerns SAAB cars in any way, shape or form ?
NEVS wrote on their Saab Cars Instagram account a few weeks ago: “Klart vi satsar fullt mot att göra Saabbilar”, Google translate: “Clearly we are focusing fully on making Saab Cars”, when someone asked about SAAB cars. Also, in recent interviews they say the brand is very important.
Yes, buying the Saab assets and hiring Swedish and other Western engineers was simply a means of effecting Western technology transfer. It may be that they think in any case that the brand Saab has little cache with the Chinese public. The only hope for the brand is if Saab AB release it to some other party or run with it themselves. My next car (I hope in many years’ time) will probably be a Jaguar.
SaabKen; looks more like a mass grave. Question: who/what are they burying?
It must be some leftover supply of 2 stroke oil.
They are burying 68 years of original, innovating and Find-Your-Own-Road thinking.
Here here.
Now that’s not very nice, Ken.
It’s very bizarre. Usually, these “ground breaking” PR shots are close up, and it’s maybe one or two people with shovels. The distance that this photo was taken from and the fact that there are at least eleven people if not more—-is spooky.
Unfortunately, nevsunited.com is not available for some reason.
Seriously, my sympathies to the owners of this blog. It’s tough going when the only new articles are about this stuff. I’m finally coming to grips with the fact that I likely won’t buy another new Saab. Still, I’m enjoying owning what I have. Hard to believe my “new” 9-5 is nearly five years old now. Still gorgeous to me.
Still, the last two months brought us more real news than what we have seen during the previous year. But I agree with you; the NG9-5 looks gorgeous. Keep it in good shape!
I am also very concerned about the brand name. But certainly, as NEVS doesn’t still have the right to use of the brand name, you can’t expect them to go public with that. That would indeed be counterproductive. What we now see is how NEVS strives to creates a stable base for their business. I suppose this in the end also will improve their possibilities of reacquiring back the right to use the Saab brand. NEVS have repeatedly stressed that the brand name is very important for them and their potential customers. I frankly doesn’t know how this will end.… Read more »
Very well written!
Unlike a few here thats written “I’m out” tons of times but still hanging around spreading a bad atmosphere around them…
I was waiting for this! I wrote a couple of days ago that I am out of the dialogue, because of the delay in comments imposed by SU. I expexted one of the “hardcores”, who don`t think – only defend anything saabish – to come out with some kind of accusation – now it came: -since I wrote some days ago that I am out, neither I nor anybody else who is “out” has made a comment.. Since I was “tricked” into making a comment, I can as well supply my current analysis: -the latest development is very good for… Read more »
Thanks for the accusation of “not thinking”… That was real low!
You’re not the only one that have written “I’m out of here” so why are you taking it personally?
I don’t want them getting the brand name back unless they start making gasoline Saabs too. Electric is still a long way away.
NEVS states that they are/or will work (ing) out a new business plan together with new partners, We havn’t seen them all yet. So…
Agreed Brad! I feel the same way you do about electric cars! They can wait a couple of decades. Nevs should offer gasoline Saab’s too or at least make a hybrid like the BMW i8 where you can choose electric only, gasoline only, or hybrid. Other than that, I don’t think they deserve the brand name if they also make the completely in China. (Sorry if I’m negative).
Can’t look at it without the disgust.
Like.
The “ground breaking” ceremony must be read literally. They “broke” the ground with a few shovels. By no means a groundbreaking event….
It is a sad state of affairs when news like this doesn’t hardly get any comments anymore. I remember the good old days of SaabsUnited where there would be so many positive comments to follow a post such as this. I waiver between the two extremes of “Overly-Positive-Saab-is-Going-to-Live-Forever!!!”, to “Why-Do-I-Keep-Banging-My-Head-Against-The NEVS Wall???” I’m kind of exhausted by it all. I love my Saabs and will continue to check into SU here from time to time, but I just cannot get excited by anything NEVS puts out. They’ve been dragging us all along for what feels like forever now, and I… Read more »
I am confused–do we know if NEVS has actually lost rights to the Saab brand name? Or is that still a murky issue?
I don’t think we know. We can guess though. I venture a guess that they haven’t completely lost the rights to the name yet—-but that is right around the corner. I would say that they already lost the name, but the fact that their good for nothing website is still up showing “Saab” leads me to believe there is some technicality that prevents Saab AB from immediately forcing them to remove all references to the Saab name. I suspect there is something in the naming agreement that will prevent NEVS from putting the name on a car—-and also suspect that… Read more »
Nevs lost the rights when they filed for reorganization (chapter 11 bankruptcy). Ever since, nevs are working hard to get it back.
The sooner we accept this farce has absolutely NOTHING to do with Saab the better. Saab Technologies AB are never going to allow the Saab name to appear on anything built by these jokers. I am of the firm belief that Saab died in December of 2011.
Well said zippy!
Thanks Paul (for saying what I unbashedly say here now). As the saying goes: “The party’s over !”
What’s in a name? Take all of the badges off your SAAB and it still remains a great car. Of course we would prefer to keep the name, but if its being engineered and designed in Sweden by the team at Trollhattan, what is the problem? My big regret is that there appears to be no offering of petrol/diesel engine cars, but that’s just me, I’m sure many younger people will embrace all of the new technologies; much akin to the propensity to read books electronically or watch tv online. Things move forward — not always to our liking. A… Read more »
Sometimes, young people can’t afford the “new technologies” even if they embrace them. How many “young people” are driving around in $80,000 Teslas? Sure, they might be propping up Musk by going on social media and saying how much they love the cars, but with maybe $25,000 to spend, they won’t be getting one anytime soon. Further, NEVS seems to be set on ignoring most of the major markets where Saabs were sold the last sixty years. It’s hard to give a rat’s you know what about the cars they might have available in 5 to 7 years if they… Read more »
Kai Johan Jiang takes both positions of chairman and general manager of National New Energy Vehicle (NEVS Tianjin), Stig Guunar Nodin named general manager of National Auto Technology Development Co.( NEVS Tianjin R&D center), but the complicated investors background (SRIT and Teamsun) make it harder for Kai Johan to play a bigger role in China
http://www.d1ev.com/38971.html
Maybe in 5 – 10 years from now NEVS (together with other mostly Asian companies) will have a new electric car design, ready for final development and ultimately production. Then perhaps SAAB AB might allow them to use the Saab name once again. Maybe, might, perhaps. So don’t hold your breath…. In the mean time, maintain your Saabs as best you can. And when the time comes to finally move on and replace it, think of that other Swedish brand; many ex-Saab engineers went to work for them and it shows; nowadays Volvo has advanced turbo engine technology, supreme safety,… Read more »
It’s getting silly.
“Getting?”. I think NEVS wrote the book on silly.
Could someone please suggest to NEVS that a webcam be installed at the site? Then, should a slow news day come along, at least we could watch progress on the webcam. 🙂
Saabyurk; rest assured, I have put your recommendation of a “webcam” I of the factory floor, in the NEVs employee suggestion box. Now we must just wait with fingers crossed!
Joe, the “just wait with fingers crossed” comment leads me to believe this was sarcasm—I think I’ve heard that a few times before. 🙂 However, if I’m mistaken, thanks!
This has very little to do with Saab as we knew it or would like it to be in the future, what ever faint chance of a future it has, the Blog needs to change course, either it becomes a Saab’s past and to a limited extent present source of Saab car and Saab owners related information, news and pieces of personal interested in Saab cars as many of its articles are, or it becomes a Blog describing events that are more or less related to what happens around Trollhatten, NEVS and the Saab spin of companies.
I wonder where they bought those shovels? Did they pay cash or put it on credit? Hopefully the hardware store has recourse if they don’t pay for them.
They asked the court to have the price of the shovel reduced from 5 dollars to 2.50 dollars. They also got the 2.50 dollars from SRIT to pay off the shovels!