SANTA ROSA, CA -- 07/20/07 --
Electric car pioneer ZAP (OTCBB: ZAAP)
launched a website today where owners of electric cars can find and report
the location of public and private charging outlets. The new resource is
available by visiting
http://www.pluginmap.org.
ZAP has been selling its XEBRA electric 'city car' and truck since last
year. While the range of the $10,000 electric vehicle (EV) is limited
compared to gas cars, owners find that by charging at a normal 110-volt,
electrical outlet once or twice a day they can do all their in-town driving
without ever using a gas vehicle.
"Our goal is to have a global network of places you can plug in," said
ZAP's Chairman Gary Starr. "Some may be public, some may be private, but
we have heard of large organizations that are providing free parking for EVs
and wanted to create a resource where this information can be shared with
other drivers of EVs."
Starr says that a simple electrical outlet in a parking garage, parking
lot, store, work, restaurant, school, library -- even a gas station -- will
give consumers more opportunities to use gas-free, zero-emission vehicles.
A XEBRA customer in Olympia, Washington, Joe Lambrix, inspired ZAP's web
resource. Lambrix started by supporting businesses and other
establishments that made EV charging available. Later he made a website to
list the businesses in his community that offer EV charging. See:
www.pluginolympia.com.
The ZAP XEBRA will normally get a full charge by plugging in overnight,
with a full charge taking up to six hours. If the car can plug in during
stops around town, ZAP says the XEBRA can get a significant charge back in
a short time. The batteries and on board charger used in the XEBRA can
recharge faster when they are discharged versus when they are almost full,
so less than an hour of charging really helps. If you can plug in for the
time it takes to eat lunch, what ZAP calls an 'opportunity charge,' you can
increase your daily driving range up to 30 percent. For corporate and
fleet applications, ZAP also distributes a Rapid Charger that can charge up
a vehicle in less than an hour.
About ZAP
ZAP has been a leader in advanced transportation technologies since 1994,
delivering over 100,000 vehicles to consumers in more than 75 countries. At
the forefront of fuel-efficient transportation with new technologies
including energy efficient gas systems, hydrogen, electric, fuel cell,
ethanol, hybrid and other innovative power systems, ZAP is developing a
high-performance crossover SUV electric car concept called ZAP-X engineered
by Lotus Engineering. The Company recently launched a new portable energy
technology that manages power for mobile electronics from cell phones to
laptops. For product, dealer and investor information, visit
http://www.zapworld.com.
Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the "safe
harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks
and uncertainties, including, without limitation, continued acceptance of
the Company's products, increased levels of competition for the Company,
new products and technological changes, the Company's dependence upon
third-party suppliers, intellectual property rights, and other risks
detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact:
Alex Campbell
Director of Communications
707-525-8658 x 241
acampbell@zapworld.com
