The Swedish-Chinese consortium currently controlling Saab could be set to resurrect the firm's 9-3 Convertible model as an electric car.
In an effort to get the defunct carmaker back on its feet, the National Electric Vehicles Sweden (NEVS) consortium wants to re-introduce several old models to reduce costs.
Some of these will be regular gasoline models, reports Dutch site Autoweek.nl--but the ultimate plan is to release a range of electric cars.
NEVS completed its purchase of Saab from the administrators in September.
Contained within the deal were rights to the Saab 9-3, tools, the manufacturing plant, and test and laboratory facilities. NEVS also owns the in-development Phoenix platform.
The company's first dedicated electric car is likely to be based on this platform, but building versions of the old 9-3--both electric and gasoline--will enable a quicker startup than developing an entirely new model.
Development into new models was already underway at facilities in Japan and China before the acquisition, but Saab's state-of-the-art facilities in Sweden are now the base for new model development.
An electric 9-3 convertible is likely to be one of the new models, plus sedan and wagon versions.
NEVS is even hopeful over a deal with GM.
GM, which part-owned Saab from 1989 and fully between 2000 and 2010, had previously bloked a Chinese concern from buying Saab to prevent the trasfer of trade and production secrets.
NEVS is keeping its options open, and a spokesperson confirms the company is also in talks with other carmakers.
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