ZAP Jonway Plans Limited Edition of ALIAS for Production Fourth Quarter 2012

 

SANTA ROSA, Calif., Dec. 16, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ZAP Jonway (OTCBB:ZAAP.OB), a designer and manufacturer of new energy and electric vehicles (EVs), plans production of the ALIAS, ZAP’s highly anticipated sports EV, in the fourth quarter of 2012.

This limited edition production is now planned due to popular demand. It will showcase the engineering excellence of the ZAP Jonway’s EV power train and design. This 3-wheel version of the Alias is designed to be highway safety compliant and yet be able to expedite the long type approval testing process for entering into the U.S. market. Designed with decades of electric and automotive experience, the ALIAS serves a growing niche of automotive enthusiasts who want an affordable electric vehicle with the performance, looks and handling of an impressive sports car. The vehicle has a peak torque of over 200 kilowatts and range of 150 miles between charges. With one of the best engineered EV motors available supplied by Remy Motors, compact and light weight, the vehicle’s performance, handling and ride is competitive with traditional Tier One sports vehicles. ==> Continued Click Here

Sci-Fi Film “Looper” Set Photos Reveal Futuristic Solar Electric Cars, ALIAS

“Looper” starring Bruce Willis is a Sci Fi film set in a dystopic near-future. A killer who works for the mob of the future recognizes one of his targets as his future self. Set photos from New Orleans in March of this year reveal cars of the future that are a blend between advanced technologies and Mad Max, some of them electric cars using solar panels. Several cars were requested for the film shoot including the ALIAS. From the look of the photos, you can tell they liked the ALIAS and we’re looking forward to seeing how they feature it in the film when it debuts in late 2012.

Slide Show from the Hollywood Premiere for the Documentary “What is the Electric Car?”

A mini car show broke out at the Hollywood Premiere for the documentary "What is the Electric Car?"

POLL: Should an electric car be quieter or noisier?

At ZAP we are continually educating people about the many benefits of all-electric vehicles, chiefly that they’re quieter than internal combustion. Now we are reading that blind activists are lobbying for a law that electric and hybrid cars must make more noise. The US Senate has unanimously passed a bill to study if electric and hybrid cars are unsafe to the blind and pedestrians because they are so quiet. But not all blind people agree with this statement, according to Edmunds.com: “It would be better for everyone if all the cars were quieter,” says blind advocate Brian Bushway. Watch the video above to see how much noise electric cars make, and please take our poll whether you think they should make more noise. Edmunds.com InsideLine

ZAP Provides Update on Jonway Automobile Acquisition

Jonway Auto plans production of Alias by third quarter 2011 at Sanmen, China factory

SANTA ROSA, Calif., Nov 18, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Electric vehicle pioneer ZAP (Stock Symbol: ZAAP) completed its initial down payment of US$10 million towards the 51% acquisition of Jonway Automobile. Jonway Automobile plans to complete an audit of its financial statements by December 31, 2010 and thereafter, ZAP intends to finalize the acquisition with the payment of the US$19 million balance of the US$29 million purchase price.

Jonway Automobile reported sales of over 4,000 gasoline vehicles through the end of September 2010, and projects total sales of over 6,500 vehicles by December 31, 2010. Jonway Automobile reported that wholesale sales prices of the vehicles averaged US$10,000. Jonway Automobile projects year-end revenues for 2010 to increase more than 40% compared to last year with its current gasoline vehicle product line. Jonway Automobile reports that it is debt-free, cash flow positive and able to finance its gasoline product revenue growth at the same rate for 2011.

Under the new equity structure, Jonway Automobile will be 51% owned by ZAP, and 49% by its original parent Jonway Group. This equity ownership transfer was approved by the Chinese government on October 3, 2010. Jonway Automobile plans to ramp up production of the A380 SUV electric vehicle (EV) in the first half of 2011 together with ZAP’s Alias EV by third quarter 2011 at their Sanmen, Zhejiang factory. By combining Jonway Auto’s ISO 9000 manufacturing facilities, capable of delivering over 50,000 vehicles per year, with ZAP’s EV technologies, products and expertise, the company aims to lead the emerging EV fleet market in China.

Read More at ZAP Global Blog

What’s Al Unser Jr.’s Take on EVs?

Al Unser Jr. standing in front of the ZAP Alias

When you have been racing IndyCars your whole career, perhaps you would be ready for a change of scene?  So many have been curious about Al Unser Jr.’s attraction to driving the ZAP Alias electric car in the Automotive X PRIZE and we examine some of his recent interviews.  As Edmunds.com writes, the race for the 100 MPGe Automotive X PRIZE is ‘oh so quiet‘ and this is part of the attraction for Unser.  Earth2Tech asked Unser if he missed the roar of the engine?  “Not at all,” says Unser.  Many have speculated that Unser is doing it because it is the green, environmental thing to do.  Perhaps they don’t know Unser very well, nor his family, who have been driving all kinds of automobiles and pushing automotive innovation for over 100 years.  EarthTechling looked into Unser’s latest interest: electric cars.  Also, long-time Unser fan Ronald Ahrens spent some time on the ground with the man at Michigan International Speedway.  Learn more about the racing legend and why he’s so charged up about EVs.

Read More:

• Ron Ahrens, Baggy Paragraphs: X Prize leads Zap Alias driver Al Unser Jr. to say his best days as a driver are ahead
• EarthTechling: Al Unser Jr. Interview: His Take On EVs
• Earth2Tech Green Overdrive: Al Unser Jr. Gets ZAPped

What color will your ZAP Alias electric car be?

What's your favorite ZAP Alias electric car color?

We want to know what color you would want your ZAP Alias to be if you could have one right now.  Here are some images of the colors that have been shown.  Click on any of the images for the Flickr Slide Show gallery of ZAP Alias colors.  If you don’t like any of the colors, suggest one we haven’t used.

ZAP Alias Appears on FOX News

Click image to link to Fox News Video Site

Here is a great TV news story from FOX News on the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE.  It shows clips of the ZAP Alias and other XPRIZE cars going around the track with an in-studio appearance and commentary by Glenn Renwick, CEO of Progressive Insurance.

Behind the Scenes from Popular Mechanics X PRIZE Photo Shoot

Popular Mechanics Features ZAP Alias Electric Car in Automotive X PRIZE Finals Coverage

A Popular Mechanics cover-story gives the Alias electric car from ZAP 4-1 odds to win the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE as the remaining seven teams move onto dynamometer efficiency testing and validation this month at Argonne National Lab.

“A solid effort from a proven electric-car builder,” writes John Pearley Huffman in the September 2010 issue of Popular Mechanics, on news stands now. From the original 136 vehicles entered in the X PRIZE, ZAP is among the nine remaining vehicles moving onto laboratory efficiency validation to determine the final winner, which will be announced in September.

The Popular Mechanics article features photos and coverage of several competitors from the XPRIZE, including FVT’s Evaro, Li-Ion Motors’ Wave II, Edison2, Western Washington University’s Viking 45, RaceAbout, X-Tracer, Illuminati Motor Works Seven and Aptera’s 2e.

The photo shoot was done in May immediately following the Shakedown.  The ZAP Team said it was a high point of the three-year competition. In the months and weeks building up to the XPRIZE Shakedown event team ZAP was often working 16 hour days and this was the first time the team was able to relax and reflect on its accomplishments. While many teams struggled and were eliminated from continuing in the competition, the Alias performed beautifully, earning fans while proving three-wheelers can easily match the performance of four-wheelers. Popular Mechanics photographer Joe Pugliese turned a garage at Michigan International Speedway into a photo studio.

Thank you to Popular Mechanics for opening a window to the X PRIZE for the outside world, highlighting these new breakthroughs in MPG efficiency.

Firestone Brand Tire Helps ZAP Alias Electric Car Reach Finals of Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE

Two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Jr. is behind the wheel

BROOKLYN, Mich. (July 19, 2010) — Electric vehicle pioneer ZAP (OTC BB: ZAAP) rolled through the knockout stage of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE with its Alias automobile piloted by Al Unser Jr. and will move onto the finals July 19-29, thanks in part to the latest generation of Firestone Firehawk ultra high performance tires.

Click Image for High Resolution

The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE is a global competition that will award $10 million in prizes to teams that win a rigorous stage competition for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 MPG energy equivalent (MPGe). ZAP is among 15 cars (from 13 teams) that have survived from the original 142 competitors that entered the chase for the X PRIZE.

The ZAP Alias has progressed through the preliminary stages of the international competition at Michigan International Speedway on the all-new Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500 tire – an opportunity that arose through Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO)’s relationship with legendary Indy car driver Al Unser Jr.

“As we made plans for the Automotive X PRIZE competition with Al Unser Jr. behind the wheel, he insisted that he wanted Firestone brand tires on the car,” said Gary Starr, Founder and Director of Business Development, ZAP.  “Al brings a lifetime of driving experience to the ZAP team along with a wealth of auto industry contacts.  He helped introduce Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations and its Firestone brand to the ZAP Alias, and the tires have been working very well for us.”

Starr and Unser worked with BATO engineers to select the appropriate tire for the competition.  The Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500 street tire was designed with a shallow tread depth (“skid”), while still maintaining desired tire performance.  This reduced skid offers maximum traction capability (giving the tire its ultra high performance credentials); however it also lowers the tire’s mass, and thus helps to reduce rolling resistance.  Low rolling resistance helps increase fuel mileage, which is key to winning the X PRIZE. Proper inflation pressure also contributes to achieving the desired rolling resistance level.

With all of these characteristics, the Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500 tires helped the ZAP Alias progress through the stages of the X PRIZE competition, from the highway efficiency test 34 times around MIS, to the double lane change and the skid pad test run by Consumer Reports.  Although some cars struggled with the lane change test in particular, The ZAP Alias, with Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500 tires and Unser behind the wheel, conquered the accident avoidance test in just a few passes.

Watch the ZAP Alias perform these tests on YouTube and Facebook, follow the competition on Twitter, and check out the ZAP Alias Team Blog at zapalias.wordpress.com and the official X PRIZE website at progressiveautoxprize.org.

About Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) is a business unit of Bridgestone Americas, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. Reporting into the BATO business unit are the company’s Latin American tire operations, the U.S. and Canadian consumer tire businesses and the U.S. and Canadian commercial tire businesses. BATO develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. The business unit is focused on retail, wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to its customers in the Americas. In addition, through its Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions unit, retreading customers have access to industry-leading research and development, manufacturing, marketing and sales expertise, providing them with a total tire solution.

About ZAP:
ZAP was founded as a California Corporation on September 23, 1994, in a time where concern for the environment and use of petrol as an energy source was nominal. From its unassuming beginning as an electric bicycle kit manufacturer in the hamlet of Sebastopol California, ZAP has grown into one of the leading global distributors of alternative fuel technology vehicles. ZAP has distributed over 100,000 advanced alternative fuel-efficient vehicles (most of which are electric) to over 75 countries in an effort to supply consumers worldwide with products that are socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. ZAP is determined to become the leading global distribution source for advanced energy management technology and fuel efficient vehicles; with an emphasis on electric drive trains.

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