Autos: Zap

So Zap is in a pilot program with the city of Richmond to use their all electric XEBRA cars in a fleet setting. The 3 wheeled XEBRA is manufactured in China, and will be sold in the US for about $10K. It apparently has about a 25 mile range and can hit 40 mph.

Good for Zap. But don't run out and gobble up Zap stock just yet.

I've had the opportunity to sit down with members of the Zap team a couple of times in the last 2 years, and have not exactly come away enthusiastic. Like their cars, the management team seems to lack the horsepower needed to make the company go.

Case in point: Zap is the company that figured they'd sell the Smart Car in the US based on a "handshake" agreement with Daimler Chrysler. Then, when D/C decides to sell the car on their own (after then vehicles have been "Americanized" by Penske), Zap is shocked, yes shocked, when they're issued a cease-and-desist related to their own Smart activity.

Needless to say, it's a little hard to find much about the Smart Car on the Zap website these days...