Back in April, news broke that Saab – or more correctly, the company that bought it, NEVS – had created a fully functioning prototype with impressive performance and capabilities. Now, we get to find out how complete it really was.
The NEVS Emily GT was created by former Saab engineers, while their owner, Evergrande, struggled through financial difficulties. Without clear instructions, and unwilling to just sit on their hands, a team of engineers built a car.
All of them real engineers, and with the infrastructure to actually make something, the team of around 350 people came together to build a remarkable EV with in-hub motors, and a staggering range of more than 589 miles (948 km).
More: The Secret NEVS Emily GT Project Is The Electric SAAB That Never Was
If that all sounds too good to be true, this may the rare occasion when that isn’t the case. Behind the wheel of the car, Top Gear’s Tom Ford says that it is shockingly complete. With a fully working infotainment system, comfortable seats, and all of the accouterments you’d expect from a luxury sedan of its size, you could be forgiven for forgetting that it’s a one-off prototype. That feeling continues behind the wheel.
“And as far as it goes, this feels like a normal electric super saloon,” says Ford. “It’s fast – so, if I put my foot down, it’s really quite quick – but there’s nothing strange about the way it steers, about the way it goes around corners, about the way it brakes.”
When you make use of the power, the four in-hub motors are there to help you out. Thanks to its direct drivetrain, the NEVS Emily GT has very effective torque vectoring that can help the heavy EV handle a slalom like a car half its size.
It all makes it feel like a shame that the reason the car is now being shown off is because it has no home. The team designing it has scattered to the winds, and even though the owners of the vehicle’s rights want somebody to build it, it’s unclear if any buyers are lining up.
At least we get to see what the last gasp of Saab was really capable of.