NEVS rolls out a full-electric sedan based on the old Saab 9-3 platform from its Tianjin plant

Electric vehicle maker National Electric Vehicle Sweden has rolled out a full-electric sedan based on the old Saab 9-3 platform from its plant in the north China port city of Tianjin on Saturday, June 29.  According to its parent company, China Evergrande Group, the launch will accelerate NEVS’ timeline to start production in other Chinese cities.  The Tianjin factory can initially produce 50,000 EVs a year.

NEVS was purchased from bankrupt Swedish automaker Saab Automobile in 2012 by a Chinese-born, Swedish businessman Kai Johan Jiang. Later on, Evergrande Group, China’s largest real estate developer, purchased a 51 per cent stake in NEVS.

Evergrande Group also acquired Shanghai-based EV battery supplier CENAT New Energy Co. and two foreign electric motor makers -- U.K.-based Protean Holdings Corp. and Dutch company e-Traction. In June, it also signed agreements with local governments to produce EVs, batteries and electric motors in Guangzhou and Shenyang, with an investment of RMB 440 billion.  

China is expected to lead the charge in EV market, given its fast-growing automotive market and Beijing’s push for EV sales. Experts see China as the world’s biggest EV market through at least 2040. EV’s would drive aluminium demand as more and more aluminium will be used for Body-in-White applications due to its strength to weight ratio. Aluminum would also be used extensively in EV battery infrastructure.