ZAP Retains Richardson & Patel LLP as Company's Securities Counsel

SANTA ROSA, Calif., Jan. 29, 2004 -- Electric car pioneer ZAP (BULLETIN BOARD: ZAPZ) announced today that it has retained the legal services of the law firm Richardson & Patel LLP.

The law firm specializes in corporate and securities law and has been retained by ZAP to assist in various financing and corporate governance issues. Richardson & Patel, LLP represents publicly trading companies whose stock trades on such systems as Nasdaq and the OTCBB.

"Becoming an electric car company is going to take work on many fronts, and we are excited that our vision of introducing Zero Air Pollution -- ZAP -- transportation is shared by Richardson & Patel," said ZAP CEO Steve Schneider.

Schneider says that ZAP has been actively pursuing strategic partnerships that would bring more professional services from a variety of specialties to bear on the company's electric car marketing and business development. Recently ZAP announced that it has retained the legal services of Donahue Gallagher Woods LLP, a San Francisco Bay Area law firm with offices in Mill Valley, Oakland and Walnut Creek.

Schneider noted that there are many issues related to electric car regulations, licensing, distribution, financing and other matters that may need addressed as the company looks to the future.

About ZAP

ZAP of Santa Rosa, California helped pioneer the market for electric transportation in 1994, delivering more than 85,000 electric vehicles to customers in more than 60 countries. A public company, ZAP is traded on the Over-the-Counter stock exchange under the symbol ZAPZ. The company offers a variety of advanced technology vehicles, including electric cars, bicycles, scooters, motorbikes, underwater scooters and more. To purchase an electric vehicle or to become a ZAP dealer, visit http://www.zapworld.com/ or call 707-525-8658.

Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 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.