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BROWN GOES GREEN
PETALUMA,
CA -- It will be a green holiday this season for
United Parcel Service (UPS), who rolled out a small
parcel delivery service this week in Northern California
using 42 electric cars and trucks from ZAP.
The UPS branch in
Petaluma, California has leased an initial fleet of 42
ZAP Xebra® electric city cars and trucks for their small
parcel deliveries. This is the first time that UPS has
used electric city-speed
vehicles for this purpose.
Small parcel deliveries are becoming more challenging
for the trademark big, brown UPS delivery vans, which is
why UPS is using the electric city cars and trucks to
handle small parcel deliveries. The ZAP vehicles lessen
fuel consumption and reduce automotive emissions
produced by current delivery vehicles. Drivers will be
monitoring their electrical usage to carefully analyze
cost-savings and emissions reductions.
"This
is the missing link for small package deliveries in
congested areas," said ZAP CEO Steve Schneider.
"Packages go from the airplanes, to the tractor
trailers, to the delivery vans, then to the drop-off
nodes. From there the ZAP trucks make the final delivery
to the consumer in a zero-emission vehicle that costs
less to operate. It's a perfect example of how green
technology can help corporate America's bottom line."
UPS is setting up strategic distribution nodes where
vans can transfer packages to the ZAP Xebras for final
delivery in smaller communities, neighborhoods and
downtown areas where larger delivery vans are less
efficient and have a more difficult time navigating or
parking.
"ZAP vehicles are much better than full size trucks in
urban areas because they can save a fleet operator
money," said ZAP Chairman Gary Starr. "Electric vehicles
can also be one of the best things any organization can
do to cut greenhouse gases and help the environment."
A publicly owned automotive manufacturer and distributor
based in nearby Santa Rosa, California, ZAP specializes
in energy-efficient transportation technologies. The ZAP
Xebra was designed as an economical electric city car
that can handle city-speed driving up to 40 MPH for
daily urban driving, commuting as well as light duty
government and corporate fleet applications. ZAP cars
and trucks are believed to be the only 40 MPH
street-legal electric vehicles available in production
today and sell for a little over $10,000 with a cost of
about three cents per mile for electricity. Studies show
that electric vehicles reduce automotive emissions by
more than 90 percent compared to gasoline vehicles,
including the emissions from power plants.
About UPS
Founded in 1907 as a messenger company, UPS has grown
into a $47.5 billion corporation by focusing on the goal
of enabling global commerce. It has become the world's
largest package delivery company and a leading provider
of specialized transportation and logistics services.
Every day UPS manages the flow of goods, funds, and
information in more than 200 countries and territories
worldwide. UPS employs 427,700 people delivering 3.9
million packages annually. UPS operates 1,788 facilities
with an overall vehicle fleet of 94,542 package cars,
vans, tractors, and motorcycles. UPS also operates a
fleet of 277 aircraft, making it the 9th largest
airline.
About ZAP
ZAP has been a leader in advanced transportation
technologies since 1994, delivering over 100,000
vehicles to consumers in more than 75 countries. At the
forefront of fuel-efficient transportation with new
technologies including energy efficient gas systems,
hydrogen, electric, fuel cell, ethanol, hybrid and other
innovative power systems, ZAP has a joint venture to
manufacture electric and hybrid vehicles with Youngman
Automotive Group, one of China's leading manufacturers
of buses and trucks. ZAP is developing a
high-performance crossover SUV electric car concept
called ZAP-X engineered by Lotus Engineering. ZAP is
also developing a new generation of vehicles using
advanced nanotech batteries with Advanced Battery
Technologies (AMEX: GBT). The Company recently announced
a strategic partnership with Dubai-based Al Yousuf Group
to expand its international vehicle distribution. ZAP
also makes an innovative, new portable energy technology
that manages power for mobile electronics from cell
phones to laptops. For product, dealer and investor
information, visit
http://www.zapworld.com.
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