Tell Obama, Congress to Support Electric Car Entrepreneurs

• SEE ALSO: EV-Motoring.Com
• SEE ALSO: Plug-in 2008 Exclusive Coverage
• SEE ALSO: Plug-in Buyers Guide
• SEE ALSO: 350 Electric Vehicle Stories and Video

Santa Rosa, CA November 29, 2008: President-elect Obama plans to "put 1 million Plug-In Hybrid cars -- cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon -- on the road by 2015,” according to his website Barack Obama. The problem with this plan is that it comes in the middle of economic turmoil and financial collapse of the Big 3 automakers.

Often financial stimulus goes from the government to large corporations, and smaller innovative companies like ZAP are omitted. Over the past few decades, billions of dollars of taxpayer money have gone to the Big 3 to improve fuel-economy and support the use of advanced technologies like electric cars and almost nothing has been delivered while the industry has fought regulation at every turn. At the same time, the smaller companies that deliver receive nothing.

While plug-in hybrids are not in mass production today, ZAP is selling mass-produced, 100% plug-in, battery-electric vehicles with over 100,000 EVs delivered since 1994. ZAP has been experiencing record demand in 2008 with high gas prices and the fact that there are relatively few electric vehicles on the market. ZAP has expanded its workforce by 30 percent since January to help fill orders and expand its distribution. ZAP has done all this without federal support.

We like almost everything about Obama’s plan, especially converting the White House fleet to plug-ins by next year, making half of fleet purchases plug-ins by 2012, and providing a $7,000 tax credit for the purchase for advanced technology vehicles and conversions.

While the US auto industry does not deserve to be abandoned by our government, at the same time, it failed to deliver on its promises and failed to follow the leadership of these smaller more innovative companies that have paved the way with virtually no government assistance. By helping these smaller companies, maybe taxpayers could do even more with less money?

We urge you to please write President-elect Barack Obama, Vice President-elect Joseph Biden, your US Senate and House representatives and other civic and corporate leaders to tell them:

1) You want at least a small percent of the automaker loan bailout money and DOE grants to go to small auto manufacturers like ZAP. 2) You want to be assured that vehicles from small EV automakers like ZAP will qualify for the Federal Tax Credit, and not to limit them to conventional cars and trucks. 3) That vehicles like ZAP’s be considered for Federal and White House fleet purchases in 2009. 4) We should directly contract people to build electric vehicles.

Links: Write Obama: YOUR VISION Write Congress: CONGRESS