Swedish car manufacturer Saab went bankrupt in 2011 and was purchased by NEVS a year after that. Its manufacturing facilities in Trollhättan had stayed idle ever since, but now, NEVS came out with what might be good news.
The company wants to re-launch the production lines to piece together its latest conceptual vehicle, a self-driving shuttle minibus named Sango. At 4,270 mm (14 feet) long, it can carry up to six passengers with extra comfort coming from ergonomic seats, Wi-Fi hotspots and special window curtains. Its 62-kWh battery should grant it around 300 kilometers (186 miles) of WLTP-rated range, and the SAE Level 4 self-driving tech on board only implies driver’s intervention in rare critical situations. Four electric motors developed by Protean will maintain the top speed of 58 km/h (36 miles per hour) at first, with the prospect of raising the speed if the tests go well.
Speaking of which, the Sango will be put to an extensive series of tests in Stockholm. A dozen of shuttles will enter city streets, and people will be able to call them using a mobile app. If proven successful, the car will enter production. Volume and estimated launch timeframe remain unknown.
Editor Andrew Raspopov
