David buys Goliath

News came through yesterday that the specialist, high-value, low-volume Swedish car maker Koenigsegg is to buy the family-orientated, generic-platformed, ‘high’-volume Saab.

To be fair, at under 100,000 units per year, Saab on its own is not a big manufacturer. It may even produce fewer cars than Rover did before BMW offloaded them. However, it still represents a very odd business plan. Koenigsegg produced only double figures last year, and while they do make great cars, they certainly don’t have the experience of a a mass producer.

Apparently, as part of the proposed sale, GM will continue to provide Saab with ‘architecture’ and powertrain technology during a ‘defined time period’. Saab plans to produce its next generation 9-5 models in its production facility in Trollhättan, Sweden.

“The proposed agreement will enable us to maximize the brand’s potential through an exciting new product line-up with a distinctly Swedish character. Today’s announcement is great news for Saab’s current and future customers, dealers, suppliers and employees around the globe, said Jan Ake Jonsson, Managing Director of Saab Automobile AB.

E-WOLF e-2

e-WOLF has planned The the e-WOLF e-2 electric sports car sales launch (customised limited edition) for the beginning of 2010. The e-WOLF e-2 innovative 4-wheel drive vehicle will be powered by 4 high-performance electric motors with direct coupling.

e-WOLF is being marketed worldwide, with promotions concentrating initially on the Near East and Japan. e-WOLF is in a different league – it does not compete with the big sports car manufacturers. e-WOLF targets a market segment that has been neglected until now: extreme sports cars for a particularly elite clientele. To put it plainly: it is an electric sports car with a capacity for acceleration that puts it on the edge of technical feasibility.

E-Wolf e-1

The e-Wolf e-1 electric sports cars features an ultralight carbon/aluminium-construction chassis with innovative flat cell technology, formula racing technology and approval for on-road use. Thanks to its innovation and technology, the e-Wolf e-1 achieves performance values that have been impossible in its class until now: 0-100 km/h in under 5 seconds. For safety reasons, its top speed is limited to 250 km/h.

The e-Wolf e-1 comes with a Li-Tec battery with CERIO® flat cells. Its special low-volume composite anodes can store significantly more energy than most other products now in the market. Each flat cell (the battery has a total of 84) weighs just 1 kg and measures 23 x 18 cm. That means it is only a bit larger than an exercise book. Another important aspect of the Li-Tec battery with CERIO® flat cells is its cycle stability and unrivalled service life (10 years) and range (over 300 km). That makes Li-Tec the spearhead of current flat cell development.