Zap Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky tries to keep local plant dream alive
by Sebastian Blanco on Mar 10th 2009 at 8:51AM 
Click above for a gallery of the Zap Alias
The Zap/Kentucky plant story has a new twist. After hearing that Integrity Manufacturing had closed up shop, we now find out that Zap's all-electric Alias might be coming from the Kentucky plant after all. Maybe. Integrity Automotive (as it's named in our new source, the Business First of Louisville ) may be no more, but when Integrity's Randall Waldman sold his part of the business it was purchased by Gary Dodd, a former Toyota exec. Business First says Dodd has incorporated a company called ZAP Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky Inc and "plans to carry forward Waldman's plans to make electric cars at a plant in Franklin, Ky. [...] All he needs is $200 million to finance [the plant]." Dodd was also apparently a consultant to Integrity for four months late last year.
Business First of Louisville says that ZAP Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky has an exclusive agreement to be ZAP's U.S. manufacturer. Our friends over at Green Car Advisor say that there is a SEC filing that says ZMM has "a worldwide manufacturing agreement with Zap to build Zap electric vehicles and other fuel-efficient transportation products at its Kentucky plant subject to certain terms and conditions." As you can see, this story isn't going away any time soon. For an easier-to-understand bit of Zapness, there's a 30-second video of the Alias cruising down the street after the jump.
Gallery: Zap Alias in Red
[Source: Business First of Louisville, Green Car Advisor]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Woodenbee 10:38AM (3/10/2009)
I think Kentucky needs to beware, sounds like an old hand (the ex toyota exec) is trying to play the "give me tons of money ($200 Mil) for a few jobs and watch me and the money disappear", Toyota has long flirted with states about building assembly plants and playing them for every tax break and freebie they can get, so he's probably experienced at it, but $200 million!!! as I've said for about a decade now, loan me $500K and I can build you all the three wheeled gas saving, hybrid, EV super car/ off road, concept mind blowing cool rides you can handle, I guess their motto is "never steal anything small" from the government /people!
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Anthony 10:44AM (3/10/2009)
The problem w/ this car is that it's ugly. Plain & simple. If you want to introduce new tech, fine. But man, what a disaster this "car" would be.
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M-dog 11:10AM (3/10/2009)
Wood thing,
you take things you read in the press too seriously lighten up, if zap can change it's ways so can you.
Anthony, car company's evolve when they have headroom. alias would probably the first to come from the plant, if they get a plant we will see some awesome stuff come from zap along with bringing business back to america.
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Robert 12:16PM (3/10/2009)
I think everyone needs to help out Kentucky here, and start buying and investing some money into their auto industry. I decided to look around and see what kind of featured classifieds they have I came across this site:http://www.lemonfree.com/map.php?state=30 its all cars/trucks/suvs in Kentucky.
Neighboring states definitely should be looking to driving over state borders and buying some cars from these dealers to ensure stability in Kentucky's own economic needs.
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Mckinzie 4:15PM (3/10/2009)
Cant wait for more on this one.
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jpm 5:02PM (3/10/2009)
Yeah Zap's a great company (10 cents/share), go ahead shell out that money.
That rule w/3 wheel cars not requiring safety testing is going to get repealed real fast when the first person in a Zap alias eat's shit in what's probably a cheap ass frame from China.
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SteveCT 6:02PM (3/10/2009)
China? That's an insult to Chinese manufacturing--the Alias is probably constructed largely of dried mud and twigs.
m-dog 7:37PM (3/10/2009)
No no no, mud and sticks are what your brain matter consists of.
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M-Dog 7:42PM (3/10/2009)
forgot to mention the alias was made in america, and is planned to be manufactured in america as well.
we can do two things to stimulate the nations economy,
#1 burn our money (not likely).
#2 bring our business out of foreign countries and back to america, not just electric cars but consumer goods and of course electronic services.
-m
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RemyC 11:49PM (3/12/2009)
The problem remains the same... three-wheelers in the real world don't work because roads are full of potholes you can't avoid. They're great in perfect resort cities... but out of wealthy neighborhoods, you're looking at misery. Two wheels you drive around, four wheel you drive over, three wheels you drive into. Plain and simple, and why three-wheelers never catch on. Yet for some strange reason, manufacturers keep coming along investing in the dream, hope springs eternal.
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