ZAP Redesigns 2009 Xebra

Yes these are much nicer!  We have actually already sold 2 in our store, both were presold so they didn't spend any time on the floor before we had to say goodbye.  But we did get a little time to play with them and they are overall a much better product.

The 2009 Xebra is definitely a bit more stylish than the older models.  Very cool that the back seat folds.  Has it always done that?

How are folks driving them in your neck of the woods, srj0385?  Are they around town cars?  In the country cars?

There actually used to be an NEV that lived in my neighborhood (I never could figure out what kind it was though) but I haven't seen it around for a while...

i have the 09 sedan (hatchback). it's great. looked at the older model (dealer still had one remaining) but elected to wait.

it's solid, good speed and distance and i use the "trunk" space often as it wasily holds 3 bags of groceries or other items.

buy it!

For the sedans, it is hard to say, we have only sold those two since I have been here, because production was stopped in order to develop this new model, we haven't been able to get that many.  Neither of these were sold locally, we actually had to deliver them out of state, so I haven't heard much from the owners.  The Zap truck however, surprisingly is going to retirees and farmers.  Definitely not the demographic we expected but people on a fixed income are more likely to buy them, especially if they don't have to commute to work.  Small town farmers are getting them to use around their property to help counter balance the high cost of gas for their tractors and big trucks too.  Other than that, we have been selling to campuses who use them for maintenance. 

It seems that the people who are most interested are those who have atypical driving habits.

I like the upgraded styling of the new Xebra... and I always thought their truck with the solar panel was cool.  I hope that Zap! has growing success!!!

I think ZAP! is a great company that is showing the rest of the auto industry that full electric viehicles are possilble here and now.

Here is a video of Tom Kelly from Davis Electric Cars talking about the ZAP and the Zenn.

http://endependence.info/research/videos-c-1-v-107.html

Endependence also has a recent Blog Post about the bait and switch the auto industry is playing when it says plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles depend on "breakthrough technology".

http://blog.endependence.info/

Endependence = energy independence that ends dependence on polluting fuels.

Join our movement.  Sign the Declaration of Endependence at

http://endependence.info/declaration/

 Good job on improving the design, folding seats and all that but the dashboard looks terrible still! I'm talking about the gear, heater and fan button area. I swear, first time I sat in this car, I thought its from the 80s! And from the uploaded video I can see this will not be changed in the 2009 design either. I mean: its a 100% electric car, still a car of the future. I should not feel like I'm about to travel back in time when I sit in there! 

 News about unsold inventories piling up and the bailout news is sure disturbing and confusing to me!  Xebra seems to be following the Chrysler PT model- a 4 door model, and ONLY a 4 door. Hopefully, Zap! will return to Santa Cruz, CA.  I need slightly longer doors: the overall hatchback design is very useful to me but not as a 4 door.  Very pleasing design, but does someone know if a 2 or 3 door three-wheel EV is planned?

Sadly, the Alias probably won't have a hatchback, and I am certainly not able to lift my wheelchair up on the roof!  The CityEL I drive now is designed perfectly- open the canopy, hang on to the roll bar with one hand, and swing the wheelchair onto the deck with the other. 

But it is 16 years old- can't get parts/service easy if at all.  A Zap! sedan with "suicide" doors would be great!

I'm pretty sure the Aptera has a rear hatch, but I don't know about space for a wheelchair...

This article was in SF Chron today (1/23): 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/23/BU1J15ERJS.DTL

but the comments were quite negative.  Rather sad; people depend on Wired, the Obvio, and their mind is made up.

Link didn't work, so here are the comments:

slothtrop 1/22/2009 10:27:16 PM ZAP is a scam outfit, Andrew. Wired magazine detailed this in a lengthy feature story published last year. ZAP has never once attempted to refute any of the points raised in that story, thought it employs a large number of people who post comments in forums such as this whenever someone speaks ill of the company. you'll see them here shortly. Read the Wired story here: http://www.wired.com/cars/futuretransport/magazine/16-04/ff_zapped Recommend:    (9)(4)[Report Abuse]

 

slothtrop 1/22/2009 10:32:02 PM big surprise - the much-ballyhooed factory Integrity was to build in Kentucky to assembly ZAP's cars isn't coming. http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/599001.html Recommend:    (3)(3)[Report Abuse]

 

slothtrop 1/22/2009 10:33:20 PM review of the ZAP Xebra, which is a POS: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2008-zap-xebra-review/ Recommend:    (4)(3)[Report Abuse]

 

slothtrop 1/22/2009 10:33:57 PM that oughtta get the ZAP paid bloggers and bots going. lol Recommend:    (3)(5)[Report Abuse]

 

dorsalfinish 1/23/2009 8:28:14 AM I've seen an electric wheel chair leave a ZAP in the dust. Recommend:    (5)(1)[Report Abuse]

 

Nubo 1/23/2009 8:34:46 AM Zap is always "planning" to build serious electric vehicles. Whatever happened to the Obvio and all the other just-around-the-corner wonders from Zap? Recommend:    (4)(1)[Report Abuse]

 

mitchg233 1/23/2009 8:54:41 AM Nice links guys. Recommend:    (0)(2)[Report Abuse]

 

Here's and interesting thought, none of those people own ZAP products, every product we sold last year, was given positive feedback.  We sent customer surveys and have not received a single one that was negative. Even people that had to bring their vehicles back for repairs still showed satisfaction with them, newer companies have issues, that is a given. The products speak, not the third party opinions.

Ditto!  Thanks Dana- great to see the whole picture!