"Why EV can help? --Price of oil rises 30 percent in 2010 and could hit $4 a gallon in 2011

 Jan,7,2011
NEW YORK (AP) -- The price of oil is poised for another run at $100 a barrel after a global economic rebound sent it surging 34 percent since May. That could push gasoline prices to $4 a gallon by summer in some parts of the American Territory.

Flying, shipping packages or ordering a pizza, these activities all likely would get more expensive in the new years to come if companies pass along higher energy costs to the consumer. Some economists say rising energy prices will slow economic growth.

The U.S. is the world's largest oil consumer, but since spring prices have been on a roll, primarily because of rising demand in developing countries, especially China. China's oil consumption is expected to rise 5 percent next year; that compares with less than 1 percent growth forecast for the U.S.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is capable of raising output, if it needs to, by more than five million barrels per day. Still, Morgan Stanley estimates that the rising energy needs of China and other emerging economies will consume about half of that amount over the next two years. That could create supply pressures similar to those that preceded the price spike of 2008, when oil soared to $147 a barrel.

In the present days when the oil prices are soaring, the demand for electricity as the alternate fuel for vehicles is bound to increase. Vehicles using electricity as fuel are called Electric Vehicles (EVs) or electric cars. In electric vehicles usually the battery is fitted that stores the electricity and runs the motor, which in turn rotates the wheels of the vehicle. 

Current Limitations of EVs:

1) The battery has to be charged regularly. The normal working range of battery is about 50-130 miles and it takes between 6-8 hours to fully recharge.

2) Limited charging stations infrastrusture available on roads and highways. In some states like California and Arizona, shopping malls and some stores offer charging facilities, but they are not available everywhere. The trend of providing charging points is surely going to spread across other businesses and states but right now is a serious setback，specially on long distance trips.

3) Though the vehicle running on electricity does not produce pollution, the power plants producing electricity do produce pollution. Contaminant created by thermal power plants are one of the major source of air-pollution. The electricity generated from solar energy will probably be the best solution to curb this effect since it is totally pollution free.

Vehicle manufacturers are striving hard to improve the performance of EVs. They have come up with a number of alternative arrangements like hybrid vehicles, in which electricity and/or gasoline can be used as fuel to run the vehicle.

ZAP stands for Zero Air Pollution®.
With its new product offerings, the Company is positioned to become a leading brand and distribution portal of advanced technology vehicles. ZAP and Jonway are committed to run their business based on a strong philosophical foundation that supports the environment, social responsibility and profitability.
Very soon we will have a clear proof of it with the development of the Green City in Shanghai, Yanpu District.

ZAP begins Green City Development Project with Shanghai's Yangpu District

Dec,20,2010

Shanghai

Since ZAP Jonway CEO Steve Schneider joined the Bay Area Council in September 2010, regional ties with Chinese auto industry have been reaching ground breaking levels.

BAY AREA COUNCIL

ZAP signed an MOU agreement 

The Bay Area Council (http://www.bayareacouncil.org), opened an office in June 2010 in the Yangpu District of Shanghai to help Bay Area businesses expand into the Chinese market, while working to attract Chinese businesses and investment to that region. It has also held major conferences in China      on venture capital and green technology while hosting and sending senior delegations to China. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger participated in some of the trade mission which weighted on ZAP Jonway's successfull deal with the government of Shanghai's Yangpu District to develop a Green City Zone in Yangpu's downtown, home to 1.24 million of people,using electric vehicles for its public transportation while installing also the EV charging infrastructure, battery swap-out stations and maintenance support centers.

ZAP Jonway CEO Steven Schneider

“New plug-in vehicle technologies from ZAP, together with Jonway’s cost effective manufacturing in China, will accelerate the implementation of our Green Project with Yangpu. This truly bridges the best aspects of both the US and China, leveraging the strengths of the technological innovation in the Bay Area and Yangpu,” said ZAP CEO Steve Schneider,

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

“We have just started the initial planning of this long term project. The hard work of implementation and operations is ahead of us. We believe that the project planning and resourcing will be a yearlong process. We are pleased to be part of Yangpu’s Green Project and share Party Secretary Chen Yin’s vision and commitment to delivering his objectives,” says ZAP Chairman Dr. Priscilla Lu.

To execute these plans and better access the Chinese market, ZAP Jonway will open its EV sales and operations office in the Yangpu District and plans to establish its research and development engineering center in the district to take advantage of the university communities, that within the 24 square mile district of Yangpu there are 14 universities surrounding the Knowledge Innovation Center (KIC), a technology community that includes Fudan University and Tongji University, making this area one of the leading research centers in China on Clean Tech.
About ZAP
Based in Santa Rosa, ZAP has been a pioneer in the electric vehicle industry since 1994, engaging in the design, development, commercialization and distribution of 100% pure electric vehicles and power systems, and delivering a wide range of vehicle designs to consumers and fleet customers in the United States and international markets for sixteen years.The company supplies electric trucks and vans to military, government and corporate fleets and offers personal transportation products including electric motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and some of the only electric city-speed vehicles in production today. ZAP is also developing a freeway capable electric vehicle called the ZAP Alias that was a finalist in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE.

About Jonway
Jonway is the trade name of Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co., Ltd., an automobile manufacturer based in Taizhou, Zhejiang, China that currently produces several thousand units per year of two SUV models, the A380 3-door and the A380 5-door.Built in 2009, Jonway’s modern 3.6 million square foot factory on 141 acres is ISO9000 certified and has the capacity to produce up to 30,000 units per year.It employs over 800 workers and distributes its vehicles in China through 80 factory direct dealers and hundreds of factory authorized dealers.Jonway Auto is a subsidiary of Jonway Group, which has been a leader in the manufacturing of motorcycles, ATVs and related products for more than 20 years.


Link:
ZAP Jonway CEO Joins Bay Area Council to Strengthen Regional Ties with China (Sep,4,2010)http://cn.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS178719+03-Sep-2010+BW20100903?symbol=ZAAP.OB 


ZAP Begins Project Development on Green City Partnership with Shanghai’s Yangpu District (Dec,17,2010)http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ZAP-Begins-Project-bw-3498858309.html?x=0&.v=1&.pf=retirement&mod=pf-retirement