ZAP's Gary Starr Honored with California Clean Air Award

9 February 1999
ZAP's Gary Starr Honored with California Clean Air Award
    SEBASTOPOL, Calif., Feb. 8 -- Veteran electric vehicle (EV)
entrepreneur Gary Starr was honored today along with other leaders from the
alternative transportation industry by California's top EV industry
association.  Starr co-founded ZAP Power Systems (OTC Bulletin Board: ZAPP) in
1994 with inventor Jim McGreen, which to date has produced over 20,000
electric bikes and scooters.
    Starr was honored with CALSTART's 1998 Blue Sky Merit Award.  CALSTART,
California's advanced transportation technology consortium, presents the Blue
Sky Award to formally recognize - and reward - outstanding contributions not
only to develop clean vehicles and technologies, but to actively bring them to
the marketplace.
    "Gary Starr has probably been responsible for the marketing of more EVs
than anyone I can think of," said CALSTART CEO Mike Gage.  "Responsible for
more than 20 thousand, I think that is more than all the tier one automakers."
    The U.S. Postal Service received CALSTART's 1998 Blue Sky Award.  Past
winners since CALSTART first gave out the award in 1996 include Toyota and
General Motors.  Starr's award is among a total of five Blue Sky merit awards
given out in 1998.  Members of CALSTART's judging committee include
representatives from the Coalition for Clean Air, Union of Concerned
Scientists, Natural Resources Defense Council, and CALSTART's staff and board
of directors.
    Starr, managing director for ZAP, has been building and driving electric
cars for more than 20 years.  In addition to overseeing the marketing of more
than 20,000 EVs, Starr has invented several solar electric products and
conservation devices.  He founded EV operations for U.S. Electricar, Inc. in
1983 and currently serves as an advisor to Zebra Motors, Inc., an electric
sports car designer.  In the past, Starr has been recognized for his
achievements in alternative transportation by the American Lung Association,
the Private Industry Council, Automotive News, and U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer.
    A recent interview with Starr is available on the Web in RealAudio format
at http://www.yearbooknews.com/rafiles/5910302.ram.  For further information,
contact ZAP Power Systems at (707) 824-4150 or access its web site at
http://www.zapbikes.com.