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Saab Is Dead, No Revival In Sight

NEVS, or National Electric Vehicle Sweden, the company that owns the Saab trademark, has decided to use its own name for the cars built in Trollhattan.
Saab 9-3 Aero front 1 photo
Photo: Saab
The decision to change the name of the cars made at the old Saab factory means that the Saab brand is officially dead.

Unlike the previous demise of Saab, the company that owns the trademark is not bankrupt, and does not plan to sell it or any other trademarks related to the Swedish brand.

NEVS officials have not detailed why they will ditch the Saab name, but we believe it could be linked to the fact that they could not use the Griffin logo, a trademarked owned by another Swedish company. The other reason could be related to the possibilities that arise when creating a new brand.

Instead, NEVS has launched a new brand identity, and will use the name and logo without any mention of Saab. The twist that turns the knife in the wound of Saab fans across the world is that the company will manufacture a model that shares its platform with the old Saab 9-3 Aero.

The model was shortly reborn without the Griffin on the logo, but production was stopped to reorganize the company. The first cars from NEVS will come to market in 2017. They will be based on the Saab 9-3 platform, and will feature full electric drive. The company has announced a focus on electric vehicles, as previously announced, and mobility solutions.

Along with the new name, the platform of the Saab 9-3 Aero will also get a new look, and a new logo. No design changes to the vehicle itself have been mentioned.

The priority of the new brand will be the Chinese market. However, NEVS has a long-term business plan with global ambitions. At first, they want to build operations in China, start selling cars and gain revenue. Once stability is reached, a global rollout will begin.

Fortunately for NEVS, Panda New Energy has commissioned the company to deliver 150,000 electric cars, along with 100,000 electric commercial vehicles. The strategic partnership was supposed to save the Saab make, or so we believed, but it ended up creating an entirely new brand.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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