NEVS reveals Chinese electric cars based on former Saab 9-3, 9-3X models

NEVS 9-3 concept, 2017 CES AsiaSwedish auto brand Saab may never return, but the company NEVS has officially debuted its electric cars adapted from Saab assets it acquired following the brand's fall from grace. NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden) is, in fact, a Swedish company, though it's backed by Chinese investors. And the new 9-3 series is NEVS' first major production...

Battery maker A123 quietly became a half-billion-dollar company

A123 Systems manufacturing facility, Livonia, MichiganTen years ago, lithium-ion cell maker A123 Systems was a hot startup and a much-publicized company. This author, in fact, profiled the company for IEEE Spectrum in the technology magazine's September 2007 issue. The six years that followed proved enormously painful for the Massachusetts company, however. DON'T MISS: A123 Systems To Recall...

China has licensed 9 electric-car plants, more than U.S. has today

BYD e6 electric taxi in service in Shenzhen, ChinaQuick trivia question: how many plants are there in the United States currently building electric cars? To be generous, we'll allow both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models. Any idea? The answer turns out to be four. DON'T MISS: Shanghai auto show: China plugs into electric cars in a big way Meanwhile, China—which has a long-term goal...

Shanghai auto show roundup: China plugs into electric cars in a big way

MG E-Motion concept, 2017 Shanghai auto showChina has long aimed to be the global leader in battery cells, solar power, and electric vehicles. But with more carrots and stronger sticks, electric-car sales started to rise in the country a couple of years ago. With close to a fifth of the world’s population starting to consider cars powered by electricity, manufacturers are now focusing...

Future Volvo electric car to be built in China

Volvo 40.1 conceptFinally joining the bandwagon, Swedish manufacturer Volvo has confirmed that it will introduce its first all-electric vehicle to the market in 2019. The announcement was made last week at the 2017 Shanghai auto show. That proved to be an appropriate stage, as the Chinese-owned maker plans on having the model produced in China. DON’T MISS...

China’s Buick Velite 5 is a Volt with a nose job

Buick Velite 5, for sale in China, at 2017 Shanghai auto show   [photo: Ronan Glon]China is hugely important to General Motors, as it is to virtually any global automaker. It's the largest market in the country and, recently, it has put in place an increasing set of requirements that more vehicles sold there be fully or partially electric. It also happens to be by far the largest market for Buicks in the world, to the...