It's a combination of blood, sweat & tears....
Posted on 07/27/2007 8:55:12 PM PDT by P-40
The Trybrid cars runs with ZAP Eco-Flex fuel: ethanol E-100, gasoline and/or natural compressed gas in any proportion in the same tank. Check out the Obvio ! 828E 100% Electric version.
The Obvio ! 828 achieves a fuel economy of 12.5 km/liter (29.40 mpg) in urban driving and 17.3 km/liter (40.69 mpg) during highway driving when equipped with ZAP Eco-Flexible Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) - 1.6 Liter/115Hp High Fuel Efficiency
Also available with Obvio !'s "HIGHPOWERSERIES" 170 and 250 HP engines. (All mileage ratings are estimated with 100 percent ethanol as the assumed fuel source, gasoline should yield about a 10% increase in mileage).
What is the advantage of Ethanol E100? It's a combination of high-performance and high mileage for any situation. E100 means that the car runs at any percentage mixture of ethanol, gas, natural compressed gas or even pure ethanol (which is less expensive), or pure gas, if the owner so chooses. It's up to you, the owner, how to combine the fuels. To sum it up, it is a very flexible fuel vehicle!
ZAP's alternate modes of transport are popular with electric utilities and police departments who desire inexpensive and non-exhausting modes of transportation for their meter readers and officers. Its products are sold through company-owned and franchised stores, mail order, its Web site, and independent bike shops. ZAP operates an electric vehicle rental location at a center in Mendocino, California . It is considering opening rental outlets in other tourist locations. ZAP obtained exclusive rights from California-based Smart-Automobile LLC in 2004 to develop Smart cars in the US. However, the company stopped selling these cars in 2006 (it sold more than 300) after the deal fell through. ZAP then acquired 20% of Obvio!, a flex-fuel vehicle manufacturer in Brazilian. It is working with Lotus Engineering to develop a crossover SUV electric car called ZAP-X. The company also sells electric cars and trucks under the Xebra brand. McGreen, an inventor who specializes in lightweight motorized vehicles, and Gary Starr, co-founder of electric vehicle retrofitter U.S. Electricar, founded ZAP (Zero Air Pollution) Power Systems in 1994. The two were in part encouraged by the growing attention and legislation concerning fossil fuel emissions. California requires 10% of all vehicles sold by 2003 be zero emission vehicles; some states and countries have similar legislation. In 1996 ZAP contracted Power Biking to sell its bikes through auto dealerships and began selling products through catalogs. The company's business continued to pick up speed in 1997, when ZAP and Italian electric-scooter maker Movity formed ZAP Europa to cross-distribute products. The company also signed manufacturing and distribution agreements that year with Dantroh Japan, XtraMOBIL of Switzerland, and Forever Bicycle Co. (Shanghai). ZAP began selling its stock directly to the public via the Internet in 1997 and opened an outlet store in San Francisco. A year later it introduced the ZAPPY scooter, which put a zip into sales. (The company, however, has continued to report losses.) The company changed its name to ZAPWORLD.COM and added a store in Key West, Florida, in 1999. It also bought electric vehicle maker emPower. The company bought Electric Vehicle Systems, which makes a two-wheel vehicle designed to tow skaters and skateboarders, in 2000. It added Aquatic Propulsion Technology and its sea scooter technology that year. In 2001 the company began marketing an electric motor that can be mounted on manual wheelchairs and shortened its name to ZAP to solidify its brand name. ZAP filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2002 and emerged in late June. Part of the company's reorganization plan included merging with automotive distribution companies Voltage Vehicles and The RAP Group. The company's 2003 purchase of a fleet of rental electric cars, including two locations on the main strip in Las Vegas, provides highly visible locations for ZAP to present new products to consumers. In early 2004 the company purchased Santa Barbara-based The Electric Transportation Company (ETC), maker of drivetrains for electric propulsion vehicles. In March 2004 ZAP purchased the assets, including electric vehicles and intellectual property, of Electric Transportation Company. The next month ZAP acquired the exclusive distribution, marketing, and technology rights from Smart-Automobile LLC to make its Smart cars US compliant. The deal fell through in 2006.
Products: Total sales and income for fiscal year ended December 2005 : $ 3.6 mil / $-23.5 mil
ZAP (ZAAP)
501 4th St. Santa Rosa CA 95401, Ph. 707-525-8658
Xebra Sedan
Xebra Xero
Zap! Obvio
ZAPTruck
Electric ATVs and bikes
Portable energy
Personal transporters
Total sales and income for fiscal year ended December 2006 : $10.8 mil / $-11.9 mil
Ethanol is a crap fuel. Diesel engines running on bio-diesel are far more efficient.
I think this is the same company that makes those mosquito-sounding bicycles that keep me reaching for the shotgun....
Those who are apolitical will likely buy out of some vague felt sense of political correctness or a vague sense of feeling threatened to buy for the good of the planet of some such.
Why Conservatives and otherwise intelligent folks might buy, I don't know. Television and advertising probably. I haven't watched television in years but I remember what it was like - to be constantly bombarded with products you can't possibly lead a normal life without, that you will never feel fulfilled, a whole human being, if you don't have this in your garage or that in your closet or these in your toilet, etc.
BioWillie B20
Earth Biofuels lost $25.5 million in the year’s first quarter and $67.5 million in all of 2006, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Stock is down to about 10 cents, you should get some.
How many clowns does this thing hold?
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.... ( sound of shotgun ) ..... ZAP !
Tesla is expected to start at $98K with production of about 2000 cars first year. Awesome looking machine, but definitely not mass market any time soon.
I get 32 MPG with my 3.4, why cram myself into a 1.6 for 8 MPG? Not to mention, safety. That is why the hybrids are just that pious. Their MPG is not that great, pound for pound I think it is the same or worse. Gonna do some number crunching and check that out.
Unfortunately, I have to disagree with you on that. The Toyota and Honda Hybrids cost and perform about the same, and are about the same size. Yet the Toyota is outselling the Honda to such an extent that Honda is canceling its entry. The reason? The Toyota looks funny. People are buying it to say to their neighbors and friends: "LOOK AT ME! I OWN A HYBRID"
I get 50MPG with my 1.4L...motorcycle that is. hehe
I’ll wager it’s faster to 60MPH than anything on the road getting 50MPG.
The Telsa convertible is an example of a product that is eco friendly yet fun. This is a car aimed at people - not political orientations.
Toyota (and Lexus and Ford) build true hybrids that can run in an electric only mode at low speeds. Honda (and some other hybrid manufacturers) use the electric motor to assist the gasoline engine only when additional power is needed. This is the reason that Toyota sells more hybrids - they have a better design.
It's a combination of blood, sweat & tears....
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