Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Chooses Michigan for 2010 Competition Events
$10 Million Competition for Super Fuel Efficient Vehicles Announces Partnership with Michigan Economic Development Corporation to Host Multi-Stage On-Track Challenges
Detroit, MI. (January 12, 2010) – The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE has chosen the state of Michigan to host an intense multi-stage competition that aims to pit some of the world’s most fuel efficient vehicles against one another in a quest to win their share of a $10 million prize purse. Fifty-one super efficient cars from 41 teams survived the rigorous design judging phase and now aim to ready their vehicles for the start of on-track performance events in the spring of 2010, thanks to a unique new partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Michigan International Speedway (MIS), announced today at the North American International Auto Show.
The series of scored performance and evaluation events kicks off April 26, 2010 and continues through the end of August 2010. During this time, the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE will conduct several closed door competition stages aimed at evaluating the efficiency, safety and performance of each competition vehicle under real world conditions. While in Michigan, the competition will open its doors at select dates to allow the public and the automotive world an opportunity to witness the competition stages as they unfold. In addition, ongoing and interactive updates will be available online at www.progressiveautoxprize.org throughout the competition stages.
“As the birthplace of the American automotive industry, Michigan has the knowledge base, the talent, and the facilities to support the innovation central to achieving the goals of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE and the future of the automotive industry,” noted Peter Diamandis, chairman and CEO of The X PRIZE Foundation. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Michigan as we enter the most exciting phase of the competition and I’d especially like to thank Governor Granholm and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for helping us bring the competition to Michigan.”
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm also added, “Michigan, the state that put the world on wheels, is excited to host the test phase of the Automotive X PRIZE competition. There is no place in the world better suited to display these super fuel-efficient and green-powered vehicles. We are home to more collective automotive manufacturing and R&D talent in North America than the other 49 states, Canada and Mexico combined. Michigan is charged up and ready to showcase the cars and trucks of the future and the advanced power systems that will fuel them.”
$10 Million Competition for Super Fuel Efficient Vehicles Announces Partnership with Michigan Economic Development Corporation to Host Multi-Stage On-Track Challenges
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ZAP’ s Ginny Medeiros Interview with QuestPoint
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US electric vehicle pioneer ZAP (OTCBB: ZAAP) and China auto manufacturer Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co. Ltd. announced a commercial agreement to produce electric sport utility vehicles (SUVs), cars and other electric vehicles in China for domestic and global distribution.
ZAP and Jonway partnered on the production of the 5-door Jonway A380 SUV, integrating the latest AC propulsion and lithium battery system technologies to produce a high performance mid-range electric vehicle (EV) that ZAP intends to offer to the fleet market in China. Jonway currently manufactures several thousand units per month of its A380 compact SUV in 3- and 5-door models and is expanding its product line with new model sedans and other automobiles.
The agreement with Jonway is part of a multi-phase business plan ZAP is implementing to target the China electric vehicle market. ZAP chose the Jonway partnership in part because last year Jonway produced one of the first vehicles made in China to meet international standards of quality, including ISO 9000, China Compulsory Certification (CCC) and most recently passing certification for import to the European Union. The Taizhou-based automaker markets and sells vehicles in China through a network of over 600 auto dealerships. Jonway has the capacity to produce up to 50,000 vehicles per year currently at its facilities in Taizhou with capacity and support from the government to expand as the business scales.
ZAP and Jonway believe the partnership will leverage ZAP’s long-standing history in electric vehicles, experience in systems integration and worldwide sales for a broad range of EVs. Under the exclusive agreement, ZAP and Jonway take the electric drive systems designed by ZAP and integrate them into the reengineered EV SUV that will be produced by Jonway. ZAP will perform research and development of the core technology in Santa Rosa, California and license the technology for this partnership. ZAP and Jonway will jointly market and sell electric vehicles in China, North America and Europe to broaden market reach.
In 2009, China overtook the United States as the world’s largest automobile market with sales increasing 46 percent from 2008 to 13.6 million vehicles in 2009, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
ZAP hopes to leverage a stimulus from the government for plug-in forms of transportation. The Chinese State Council General Office announced that it intends to raise its annual production capacity to 500,000 all-electric cars, hybrids and buses by the end of 2011. To stimulate the growth, China’s Economic Construction Department has put in place a 60,000 RMB, approximately US$8,800, manufacturers subsidy per electric vehicle produced and sold in China.
About Jonway
Jonway is the trade name of Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co., Ltd., an automobile manufacturer based in Taizhou, Zhejiang, China that currently produces two SUV models, the A380 3-door and the A380 5-door configurations. Zhejiang 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. In 2009, the Company sold more than 120,000 vehicles internationally in the European Union and the United States and has a capacity to build up to 400,000 vehicles annually. The Company recently began producing electric motorcycles and related vehicles. Jonway Group and its subsidiaries also produce motor parts, light building materials, air-compressors and plastic components while managing a portfolio of real estate holdings. Jonway Group owns several manufacturing subsidiaries throughout China with a total manufacturing space of 57.3 hectares employing more than 1,000 personnel.
About ZAP
ZAP is one of the world’s oldest electric vehicle providers, having delivered over 117,000 of a broad range of vehicles to more than 75 countries since 1994. ZAP supplies electric trucks and vans to military, government and corporate fleets and is an innovator of electric motorcycles, scooters and ATVs. The Santa Rosa, California based company offers some of the only electric city-speed cars and trucks in production today and is leveraging its accrued technology know-how in developing a cost effective high-speed electric car called the ZAP Alias. For further information visit http://www.zapworld.com.
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.
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SANTA ROSA, California and HANGZHOU, China (December 16, 2009) — Electric transportation pioneer ZAP (OTC BB: ZAAP) and Holley Group, the world’s largest volume producer of electric power meters according to the Wenhui-Xinmin United Press Group, have established a joint venture company in China with backing from venture capital firm Better World International to target the electric vehicle market in China.
Named ZAP Hangzhou, the new company plans to design and manufacture electric vehicles and develop infrastructure technology for the Chinese market. ZAP, Holley Group and Better World have entered a joint venture agreement, and officials state that ZAP has funded its initial capital requirements under the agreement.
Holley Group is an established enterprise in China and is the parent of Holley Metering Limited. Over the past 30 years Holley Metering helped pioneer electric power meters in China. Last year, Holley Metering sold over 10 million units worldwide.
ZAP Hangzhou will combine ZAP’s intellectual property, electric vehicle technology and know-how with Holley’s experience in electric metering to develop electric vehicles and related technologies targeting the Chinese market. The companies plan to use their knowledge of the local Chinese market to target opportunities for electric vehicle growth within China’s vehicle fleets. As part of this relationship, ZAP Hangzhou plans to begin the installation of manufacturing operations at Holley’s Hangzhou facilities in the near future.
The relationship with Holley is the next step in ZAP’s plan to deliver quality, cost effective electric vehicles to the fleet vehicle market, plans which began earlier this year with the investment by Cathaya Funds through its Better World affiliate. Priscilla M. Lu, Ph.D., Founder and General Partner of Cathaya Funds and a veteran technology executive with extensive international experience, agreed to join ZAP’s Board of Directors as Chairman in connection with the investment. Dr. Lu led this China initiative and helped ZAP execute on its international strategy, in particular its relationship with Holley and its market strategy for China.
“It is important to note that the purpose for my investment in ZAP earlier this year was to bring these companies together for the electric vehicle market opportunity in China,” said Dr. Lu.
“We have had a long standing working relationship with Dr. Lu and have confidence that under her leadership and experience in the Chinese market, ZAP will be able to approach this market effectively and competitively with innovative EV product solutions,” said Holley Chairman and CEO Richard Wong.
LISTEN Here to QuestPoint N The Mix interview with Zap Driver and Consultant