An electric vehicle prototype developed by NEVS, Saab’s failed savior has emerged after the company’s shutdown.
NEVS acquired what was left of Saab after the Swedish automaker went bankrupt in 2011. The company had planned to launch a series of four cars. electric car for China, all of which are built on the Phoenix platform that will underpin the next-generation Saab 9-3, plus an electric version of the existing 9-3 using that model’s successor General Motors platform. The latter, along with a model based on old Saab 9-3Xaired in 2017.
The newly revealed car, a prototype called the Emily GT, arrives a little later and has not been discussed publicly before. Development started in 2019 and was completed — at the prototype level — in just 10 months.
Prototype NEVS Emily GT – Image source: Protean
NEVS began documenting that development in 2020 for the benefit of parent company Evergrande, whose chief executive was unable to visit Sweden in person because of pandemic restrictions. This was done in concert with the marketing company splints, has now released some content already in production. First discovered by the Swedish edition of Automotive & Sports magazine, the documents offer a glimpse of what Saab-inspired EVs might have been.
The original Emily GT was not produced. It was built to demonstrate the in-wheel electric motor technology of Protean, a British company acquired by NEVS in 2019. Protean put into production of in-wheel motors back in 2013, and Dongfeng of China recently announced the world’s first manufactured passenger cars alongside them.
No specs were released by NEVS, but the Emily GT used four engines that are said to make 120hp each, for a total of 480hp. It is also said to be designed for a battery pack as large as 175 kWh,
Prototype NEVS Emily GT – Image source: Plint/Protean
Mass-produced in-wheel motors have been discussed for some time, thanks to the packaging advantage of moving the motor out to the wheel hub. But in-wheel engines also face problems like increased weight without springs, which can affect the ride quality and handling. The Lordstown endurance pickup and solar powered light year 0 sedans use them, but production of both vehicles has stalled. Those leaves Apteraplans to use them in its upcoming tricycle.
Among the documents released was a video showing Koenigsegg CEO Christian von Koenigsegg testing the Emily GT. NEVS bought a 20% stake in Swedish supercar builder Koenigsegg in 2019 and the two companies planned to form a joint venture that has never been fully detailed.
Project development was led by Peter Dahl, who started his career at Saab in 1994 and joined NEVS after Saab went bankrupt. Former Saab designer Simon Padien was also involved in the project. He was part of the team that worked on the final Saab 9-5, which may explain why the Emily GT is a bit like the 9-5, which has a similar boxy look.
Development of Emily GT was halted in 2021 when Evergrande ran into financial difficulties, saddled with more than $300 billion in debt, mainly related to its real estate business in China. When the capital was exhausted, NEVS was looking for a buyer at the time. It announced earlier this month that it was shutting down, and it was rumored that the intellectual property rights to Emily GT would be up for sale.
The date for the project to get back together may be numbered or passed, as Polestar is planning to use the former Saab development center to develop Polestar 5, according to the report. auto news. 5 will be built on an 800-volt architecture, with two engines for a total output of 884 hp. Will Saab’s ghost finally rest in peace?
