ZAP licenses Smart Charger Controller from Battelle

April,16,2010

Electric car maker/modifier Zap has been busy lately. At the end of February, they took an order for 100 electric SUVs from Korean company Samyang, who also happens to be its strategic investor and distribution partner. Now, they've announced an agreement with Battelle, an international science and technology company that manages Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to license PNNL's Smart Charger
Controller. The controller allows owners of plugins to minimize the cost of charging their vehicles by automatically charging when electricity prices are at their lowest. Zap also secured the rights to sub-license the Smart Charger Controller technology to Zap Hanzhou, Zap's Chinese arm.

Pacific Northwest Laboratory publicly announced the Smart Charger Controller technology last year after completing an earlier assessment that showed America's existing power grid could meet the needs of about 158 million vehicles, or 70 percent of all U.S. light-duty vehicles, if battery charging was managed to avoid new peaks in electricity demand. "If a million owners plug in their electric vehicles to recharge after work, it could cause a major strain on the grid,"said PNNL engineer Michael Kintner-Meyer. "The Smart Charger Controller technology could prevent those peaks in demand from plug-in vehicles and enable our existing grid to be used more evenly."

Owners of the Smart Charger program the controller to charge at a set time, day or night, or at a set price point. The controller communicates with the electric grid wirelessly to determine the best and cheapest time to recharge vehicles. Besides helping consumers save at the plug, the controller can also help avoid brown-outs by disconnecting from the grid temporarily at times of peak load. Zap intends to use the technology for its electric cars and charge stations in the U.S.,Korea and through Zap Hangzhou later in 2010.

PRESS RELEASE
ZAP Licenses Electric Car Smart Charger Controller Technology from Battelle
Consumers get economic benefits; grid is protected and uses cleaner cheaper energy when charging during off-peak hours SANTA ROSA, Calif. and RICHLAND, Wash. - April 14, 2010 - To make electric car charging cleaner and less expensive, industry pioneer ZAP (OTC BB: ZAAP) has licensed the Smart Charger Controller technology developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The technology allows customers to minimize the cost of charging electric vehicles by automatically
recharging a vehicle's battery at times of least demand on the grid and subsequently, least cost to the consumer.

Battelle, an international science and technology organization that manages and operates PNNL for the U.S. Department of Energy, also has granted ZAP the right to sublicense the technology to ZAP Hangzhou. ZAP plans to distribute the new technology as part of its electric vehicle business plan, including through its strategic investor and distribution partner Samyang Optics (008080.KS) of Korea.

How it Works: ZAP Licenses Electric Car Smart Charger Control Technology from Battelle "We believe this will put us at the cutting edge of charging station technology," said Samyang Optics CEO, Christopher Kang. "I feel that this technology is one of the most critical pieces to make electric cars viable on a large scale."
"ZAP believes the patented smart electric car charging technology is an important feature to ensure the environmental viability of electric cars," said ZAP Founder and Director of Business Development, Gary Starr.

PNNL publicly announced the Smart Charger Controller technology last year after completing an earlier assessment that showed America's existing power grid could meet the needs of about 158 million vehicles, or 70 percent of all U.S. light-duty vehicles, if battery charging was managed to avoid new peaks in electricity demand.
"If a million owners plug in their electric vehicles to recharge after work, it could cause a major strain on the grid," said PNNL engineer Michael Kintner-Meyer. "The Smart Charger Controller technology could prevent those peaks in demand from plug-in vehicles and enable our existing grid to be used more evenly."

Owners program the controller to charge at a specific time of day or night or at a set price point.The controller uses a low-range wireless technology to communicate with the power grid anddetermine the best and cheapest time to recharge vehicles. By charging vehicles during off-peak times, the controller saves consumers money and helps maximize the capacity of the electrical grid during periods of peak demand.

Previous PNNL studies with household appliances show that "smart" technologies also save the grid from brown-outs with little impact to the consumer. Grid Friendly™ technology inside the Smart Charger Controller senses stress conditions on the grid. When the grid says more power is needed, the controller can temporarily stop charging the vehicle until the stress subsides.

This instant reduction in charging load, multiplied on a large scale with many vehicles, could serve as a shock absorber for the grid and help to incorporate renewable energy like wind and solar. The technology could relieve load instantly and give grid operators time to bring new power generation sources on line to stabilize the grid - a process that usually takes several
minutes.

ZAP intends to use the technology for its electric cars and charge stations in the USA, Korea and through its JV in China, ZAP Hangzhou later in 2010.

ZAP CEO Steve Schneider Named Vice Chairman of Samyang Optics

April,13,2010
Steve Schneider, CEO for electric vehicle pioneer ZAP (OTC.BB:ZAAP - News) has been named Vice Chairman of Samyang Optics Co.,Ltd. (Kospi: 008080.KSE) to support their entry into the electric vehicle market.

 The appointment of Steve Schneider to the post of Vice Chairman by Samyang Optics follows several joint business activities between ZAP and Samyang Optics to distribute electric vehicles in Korea. The two companies have formed a distribution partnership to sell and potentially manufacture ZAP vehicles in Korea. Samyang recently placed an order for 100 of the new electric SUVs being developed by ZAP and Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co. Ltd. of China. Recently, Samyang Optics sponsored the ZAP Alias and SUV in the first-ever Korea EV Challenge.

"Steve Schneider has extensive auto industry experience, particularly in electric vehicle integration," said Samyang Optics CEO, Christopher Kang, M.D. "This appointment as Vice Chairman signifies our commitment to the electric vehicle business venture with ZAP."
Since 1994, ZAP has delivered over 117,000 of a broad range of vehicles to more than 75 countries. ZAP supplies electric trucks and vans to military, government and corporate fleets and is an innovator of electric motorcycles, scooters and ATVs. For further information on ZAP, visit http://zapglobal.wordpress.com.
Samyang Optics Co., Ltd.
Samyang, located in Masan, Korea, is a developer of optical lenses and a range of applications for closed circuit television systems used extensively in highly important security settings such as casinos and banks, as well as government and commercial buildings. Founded in 1972, Samyang's securities are publicly traded on the Korean stock exchange. Samyang is an exclusive supplier for "Made in Korea" lenses to Sears and has made lenses for Nikon, Canon, Minolta and Yashica. In 2004 Samyang merged with Japanese optical device maker Seikou.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, continued acceptance of ZAP's products, increased levels of competition, new products and technological changes, ZAP's dependence upon third-party suppliers, intellectual property rights and other risks detailed from time to time in the ZAP's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

ZAP Electric Taxi on Bay Area Television News

May,14,2010

KGO Television News reporter Heather Ishimaru visited ZAP last week from the San Francisco ABC affiliate to learn more about its project in China to supply electric taxis to the fleet market. ZAP has partnered with Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co. Ltd. to start pilot assembly of A380 SUVs with ZAP’s proprietary drivetrain at a new facility in Hangzhou. Chairwoman Priscilla Lu spoke to KGO as well as new Chief Operating Officer David Jones. The ZAP Alias,which is competing in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, also appears.

For the complete article, visit KGO ABC News – San Francisco:
SANTA ROSA, CA (KGO) — A Santa Rosa electric car company is set to marry its tech knowhow with China’s emerging industrial power. The goal is to break into the car market in China, which is expected to become the biggest in the world. ZAP car, or the Zero Air Pollution car, just signed a deal to mass produce its SUV taxi.

The ZAP car and all-electric SUV sits in Zap’s Santa Rosa showroom. Right now, only a handful of them exist, but ZAP Chairman Priscilla Lu hopes that someday soon there will be thousands of them rolling through the streets of China’s biggest cities as taxis.

“Not all of them will convert immediately, but the government is committed in order to reduce pollution, to have as many of these taxis become electric vehicles,” says Lu.And she says the government is backing that commitment with subsidies.

“There is not only subsidies for manufacturers to deliver these vehicles, but also the city government who actually owns the taxi business, if you will, is committed to make this happen because it has the support of the central government,” says Lu.

Lu wants ZAP to be first in line for those subsidies; it just signed a deal for mass production with Chinese automaker Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Ltd.
“Right now, the particular partner that we have is capable of producing 4,000 vehicles per month and scaling up to 6,000,” says Lu.

The SUV taxi runs on 117 lithium batteries. It can go about 180 miles before recharging. The batteries are positioned underneath the car, so cargo and passenger space are preserved. The sales price will be between $20,000 and $30,000. The ZAP sports car, Alias, was just shown at the Beijing auto show. It will also eventually be produced at the China plant and someday maybe in the U.S.

“We’ll be filing with the D.O.E. for grant money to have a manufacturing plant here in Santa Rosa as well as possibly in Kentucky,” says ZAP CEO Dave Jones.
It remains to be seen how many taxis they can sell. Lu says so far they have an order for 400 from Korea and it’s working on pricing and orders for China.
The first ZAP taxi could be rolling off the Chinese assembly line at the end of this year.

New Lithium Battery and Management System Doubles Range of ZAP Electric Cars

May 18, 2010 

A Smart, Lighter Weight Alternative for ZAP Consumer and Fleet Vehicles Worldwide 

Electric vehicle pioneer ZAP (OTCBB:ZAAP -News) has begun shipping lithium battery systems for various models of its electric cars, trucks,vans and scooters,offering at least four times the life of standard lead-acid batteries and twice the driving range. The new battery system is the first turnkey, drop-in replacement battery
system that fits in the same space as the G-31 lead acid batteries used in many of ZAP’s vehicles,equipped with a BMS (battery management system) that increases reliability and extends range.

The lightweight lithium battery system is used in the ZAP Alias, allowing it to drive up to 100 miles on a single charge. In China, ZAP’s new fleet vehicles use a similar system for its electric taxis and corporate vehicles based on the Jonway A380 SUV. A sub-chassis array of more than 100 battery cells is networked with an electronic monitoring system, ensuring that temperature and voltage of each cell are in balance and that electricity is automatically rerouted should any of
the cell voltages change.

Available as an upgrade for some ZAP vehicles, the new lithium battery systems provide a significant value for customers by improving performance and offering a significantly longer lifespan. ZAP estimates lead-acid batteries have 300-500 cycles of discharging and recharging,compared to 2,000 cycles for lithium. Customers should see improved acceleration and handling of their vehicles with the lighter-weight, higher-voltage batteries. ZAP designed the lithium battery system to recharge overnight from any 110 outlet, just like a cell phone, or faster using a 220-volt recharging station.

Indy 500 Winner Al Unser Jr. Joins ZAP Alias Electric Car Team in Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE

May,5,2010

Racing legend Al Unser Jr. will be behind the wheel as the ZAP Alias team competes in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X-PRIZE. Unser has agreed to drive the Alias electric car from industry pioneer ZAP (OTC Bulletin Board: ZAAP) for the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE (PIAXP), a competition for $10 million in prizes set up to foster the development of clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 miles per gallon or energy equivalent.

Unser has agreed to drive for ZAP in the upcoming PIAXP stages of the competition over the next five months. Unser plans to split his time between his other racing commitments and the PIAXP competition now underway at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). His first appearance behind the wheel of the all-electric sports vehicle from ZAP will be this week during ZAP's participation in the Shakedown Stage of the competition taking place May 2-8 at MIS, a track where Unser has a 

track record and won several races. The team blog is http://zapalias.wordpress.com

"We at ZAP are delighted that a driver of Al's capability and winning tradition has agreed to join the ZAP team in our quest to raise the visibility of electric cars," said ZAP CEO Steve Schneider. "It really means a lot to ZAP and to the acceptance of electric vehicles in the U.S. market to have someone the caliber of Al Unser Jr. take part in this competition."

The sleekly-styled ZAP Alias is a 100 percent electric car being developed to serve the growing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles. The all-electric vehicle is designed to drive at freeway speeds with a range of more than 100 miles on a single charge. ZAP is targeting a price in the $35,000 range. ZAP chose to pursue the PIAXP as a way to help bring the Alias to market, because of the automotive business expertise and analysis being offered on the performance, efficiency, design, safety and marketability of the vehicles. The ZAP Alias is competing for a $2.5 million prize in the side-by-side Alternative Class.

"I just love the Alias," said Unser. "It's clean, mean and green! I'm proud to be selected as the driver for ZAP." Unser became a fan of the Alias in 2008 when he first met with some of the designers at an automotive industry event. "I want this vehicle, so I am going to help ZAP make the Alias a commercial reality."

Al Unser Jr. (born April 19, 1962), nicknamed "Little Al," is a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. He was born into a racing family, son of Al Unser and nephew of Bobby Unser who both won the Indianapolis 500. By the age of 11, Unser was racing sprint cars. After high school, he was already in the World of Outlaws series of sprint car racing. He soon moved into road racing, winning the Super Vee title in 1981 and the Can Am title in 1982. In 1992, he won the Indy 500 with Galles Racing defeating Scott Goodyear by 0.043 of a second, the closest finish in Indy 500 history. He went on to win again in 1994 with Penske Racing.

In 2009, Unser was inducted into the Motor Sports Hall of Fame. He won the Grand Prix Celebrity Race with Keanu Reeves. He is a consultant to Indy Racing League and sits on the Board of Baltimore Racing Development.

Al Unser Jr. Accomplishments include:
Two-Time Indianapolis 500 Champion, 1992 with Galles Racing, and 1994 with Penske Racing
Two time Cart Series Champion
Thirty Four Indy Car Career Wins, 6 on the all-time list
Two time IROC Champion
Eleven IROC Race Wins
Two-Time Winner in the Grand Prix Celebrity Race
Inducted into Motorsports Hall of Fame 2009

AFVI 2010: Zap Dude is not an urban achiever

By Sebastian Blanco Date:May 12th 2010

Last month, Zap introduced the all-electric Dude, an off-road ATV. The company has sold a half-dozen of the $5,495 units and has "a warehouse full" of them ready to go out the door to a good home, according to Zap regional manager Dennis Vickery, who we talked to here at the AFVI Expo in Las Vegas. In this case, a good home means parks or other natural settings,because the Dude can only be used in off-road settings. The Dude (and yes, we want to make countless Lebowski references, too) can go up to 25 miles per hour and has a range of 25 miles.

ZAP Dude

Apparently, the Dude can carry a rider up to 290 pounds and tow up to 650 pounds using a 48V permanent-magnet rush DC motor and standard 65aH absorbed glass matt (AGM) lead acid batteries that recharge in around 4-6 hours.

If you're thinking that electric vehicles might have trouble meeting stated range estimates on paved roads, Zap is with you and has included a very clear statement attached to the ATV's webpage: "Range will vary significantly depending on hill grade, speed, and rider weight." You've been warned.