MEDIA RELEASE PR38398
US Postal Service Awards ZAP Engineering Contract for Electric Mail Truck
SANTA ROSA, Calif., Feb. 18 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has awarded electric car pioneer
ZAP (OTC Bulletin Board: ZAAP) an engineering contract for the design and
development of an electric version of its Long Life Vehicle (LLV).
ZAP will convert the gasoline mail truck to run on electricity as
specified by the USPS at facilities in Santa Rosa, California. Following
completion the converted vehicle will undergo field trials in the Washington,
DC metropolitan area later this year. ZAP was selected along with four other
firms in a competitive bid process held nationwide by the USPS.
Yesterday, US Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, D-California, toured ZAP's
facility, commenting on job creation by ZAP and the Postal Service: "I so
appreciate ZAP for hanging in there all these years, knowing what we should
be doing as a country. I think a majority of members of Congress, the House
in particular, know that they were right and that this is where we need to be
investing." A video and slideshow of the tour are available at
The USPS operates a fleet of approximately 142,000 LLVs as part of the
largest civilian fleet in the world, according to USPS sources, with 218,684
vehicles traveling more than 1.25 billion miles each year. The USPS fleet
consumed 444 million gallons of fuel in 2009, costing roughly $1.1 billion.
Agency vehicles average 10.4 miles per gallon since most drive slowly and
make frequent stops with the engine idling between mailboxes.
Rep. Jose E. Serrano (D-New York) has introduced legislation calling for
at least 20,000 electric vehicles to be put into service with the USPS to
reduce fuel consumption. Rep. Serrano also called for the allocation of $1.86
billion to the Energy Department and Postal Service to convert current mail
trucks or manufacture new ones. H.R. 4399 entitled the American Electric
Vehicle Manufacturing Act has been referred to the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform.
ZAP believes the use of electric mail trucks in the postal fleet could be
a multi-billion dollar market opportunity for manufacturers of electric
vehicles and have a positive impact on the environment by increasing
efficiency while reducing air pollution and gasoline consumption.
About ZAP
ZAP is one of the world's oldest consumer electric vehicle providers,
having delivered over 117,000 of a broad range of electric vehicles to more
than 75 countries since 1994. ZAP supplies electric trucks and vans to
military and government fleets and is an innovator of electric motorcycles,
scooters and ATVs. ZAP supplies 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.
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 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. Investors should consider the risk factors described in
the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 and Form
10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2009, as well as other
filings.
SOURCE: ZAP
CONTACT: Public Relations,
ZAP,
Alex Campbell,
+1-707-525-8658, ext. 241,
acampbell@zapworld.com; or
Pat Meier Associates PR,
+1-415-389-1700, mobile, +1-415-717-9677,
patmeier@patmeier.com,
for ZAP
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