Integrity Manufacturing closes up, no Zaps coming from Kentucky
by Sam Abuelsamid on Mar 6th 2009 at 1:32PM 
Click above for a gallery of the Zap Alias
Electric cars are supposed to be quiet, but things just got even quieter in Kentucky. Integrity Manufacturing, which was trying to get a factory going in Kentucky to build Zap electric vehicles, has closed the doors and turned off the lights. Apparently, the $125 million in financing the company was looking for never materialized and the accounts simply ran dry.
Integrity had hoped to employ up to 4,000 people building EVs, although employment peaked at 200 in the middle of 2008. Zap spokesman Alex Campbell told the Louisville Courier-Journal, "There is so much that has happened, I am not sure what is going on. We have our existing business to run." He declined any additional comment on future Zap manufacturing in Kentucky.
This is another example of how difficult it is to start up a car company, especially in a recession. Anyone hoping to get into the business needs to think long and hard. This doesn't bode well for other start-ups. Thanks to Michael for the tip!
Gallery: Zap Alias in Red
[Source: Courier-Journal.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Richard in FLA 1:40PM (3/06/2009)
Ta da! Is anyone surprised at this news? Zap is the master of PR! Not to mention this EV is ugly. I can't think of why they even thought this would sell! Just close your doors Zap it's time.
Reply
efried 2:47PM (3/06/2009)
There are competitors!
http://www.secmavehicule.com/france/runner/pagerunner.html
Sektor 9:20PM (3/06/2009)
What's with the weird design?
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TIMMAH! 11:42PM (3/06/2009)
Wow, really? Zap fails to deliver again? What a shocker... NOT!...
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Mckinzie 8:58PM (3/08/2009)
Sam, though your statements are Partially correct, you'll find that it is only Randall Sullivan and his company's that have been cut from this deal, good thing zap had no investments aside from travel fair in this project. The state still wants to make Our factory there, on top of this we have all the new stimulus plans coming from the white house, who knows whats gonna happen.
Sorry to bust your bubble.
http://louisville.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2009/03/09/story1.html?b=1236571200^1790368
As you can see Randall Sullivan is to blame, not zap.
Reply
Sam Abuelsamid 2:14PM (3/09/2009)
Nowhere in the post does it say that Zap had anything to do with this. It only talks about Integrity and then in general terms about the difficulty of getting into the automaking business.
Mckinzie 3:12PM (3/09/2009)
Sam, your right
But what about your headline? "No Zaps coming from Kentucky" that's a complete fabrication based off biased assumptions.
It should read "No Zap's coming from Integrity".
this whole kentucky project has been monitored and assisted closely by the government
check the video for more info.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e52h5okgGUc&feature=channel_page
Mind you that Sullivan is present, but so is the governor and many other state representatives.
Isn't it funny how "Ass-u-me" is spelled.
M-