ZAP Alias

The project was initiated in 2007 through a collaboration between ZAP and Lotus Engineering, the UK-based automotive engineering company, who assisted with the development of the vehicle. Plans for a Kentucky production facility fell through, and in 2010 ZAP subsequently announced that Zhejiang Jonway Automobile would be contracted to manufacture the car in China. With the collapse of ZAP on or before 2017, the vehicle never went into production and the fate of the prototype(s) is unknown.

The vehicle has three wheels, two at the front, each containing an electric wheel-motor, and one at the rear. Its batteries are fitted underneath the vehicle in a reinforced composite battery box. The performance announced in 2008 was {{cvt|0-60|mph|km/h}} in 5.7 seconds, with a top speed of {{cvt|156|mph|km/h}} and a range of {{convert|100|mi|km}}.{{cite news |title=Three-wheeled ZAP Alias can beat a Porsche |first=Gary |last=Cleland |date=7 February 2008 |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/05/ncar105.xml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208111142/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/05/ncar105.xml |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 February 2008 |access-date=7 February 2008}} Initially planned to go into production in 2009,{{cite web |url=https://newatlas.com/zap-alias-3-wheel-electric-car/8702/ |title=ZAP brings Alias highway electric car project closer to reality |date=24 January 2008 |work=NewAtlas |access-date=20 May 2012 |first=Noel |last=McKeegan}} the first Alias pre-production unit was unveiled at NADA 2009.{{cite web|url=http://puregreencars.com/green-cars/Upcoming/zap_unveils_pre-production_alias_electric_car_at_nada.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305121453/http://puregreencars.com/green-cars/Upcoming/zap_unveils_pre-production_alias_electric_car_at_nada.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 March 2009 |title=ZAP Unveils Pre-production Alias Electric Car at NADA |publisher=Puregreencars.com |access-date=20 May 2012}}

During the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan from January 11–24, 2010, the company revealed the revised specifications for the 216-volt AC induction motor-powered Alias prototype as 0–{{cvt|60|mph|km/h}} in 7.8 seconds, with a top speed of {{cvt|75|mph|km/h}} and a range up to {{convert|100|mi|km}}.{{cite web|url=http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/13012010/36/detroit-2010-zap-alias-electric-trike-0.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117202225/http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/13012010/36/detroit-2010-zap-alias-electric-trike-0.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 January 2010 |title=Detroit Auto Show |publisher=uk.cars.yahoo.com |access-date=20 May 2012}} The vehicle was to be homologated as a motorcycle.

The Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize was a global competition of teams engaging in rigorous stage competition of clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 mpg energy equivalent (MPGe).

The Alias was one of 136 vehicles from a total of 111 teams registered to enter the competition.{{cite web|url=http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org/files/downloads/auto/Complete_List_of_Registered_PIAXP_Teams.pdf|title=Registered Teams Overview|publisher=X Prize Foundation|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419102632/http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org/files/downloads/auto/Complete_List_of_Registered_PIAXP_Teams.pdf|archive-date=2009-04-19|access-date=10 July 2009}}{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/automobiles/16WINNERS.html?_r=2&dbk |title=3 Teams Win Automotive X Prize |first=Ronald |last=Ahrens |date=16 September 2010 |access-date=10 November 2010 |url-access=subscription}} It progressed through preliminary stages at Michigan International Speedway, and survived the shakedown that was completed on May 13, 2010, after which 22 teams remained.{{cite web|last=Evarts|first=Eric|title=Automotive X Prize: Final Shakedown results|url=http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/05/automotive-x-prize-final-shakedown-results.html|publisher=Consumer Reports Cars Blog|access-date=17 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100517063031/http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/05/automotive-x-prize-final-shakedown-results.html|archive-date=17 May 2010}} Driven by Al Unser Jr., it qualified for the finals in July with eight other vehicles.{{cite news |title = Zap finalist for $10 million prize |author = Steve Hart |date = 28 July 2010 |newspaper = Press Democrat |url = http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100728/BUSINESS/7281045/1036?tc=ar |access-date = 28 July 2010 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120307175312/http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100728/BUSINESS/7281045/1036?tc=ar |archive-date = 7 March 2012}} All battery-electric vehicles went through an efficiency and performance run held on July 27, with the vehicles making 50 laps around the {{convert|2|mi|km|abbr=off|adj=on}} track without exceeding {{Convert|70|mph|km/h}} or dropping below {{Convert|45|mph|km/h}} in a chicane along the backstretch. The Alias, using a BorgWarner single-speed eGearDrive gearbox transmission,{{cite web|url=http://www.borgwarner.com/feature/archive/2010-11-03-Innovation.shtml|title=In the Fastlane|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222213102/http://borgwarner.com/feature/archive/2010-11-03-Innovation.shtml|archive-date=22 December 2010|access-date=25 January 2011}} was eliminated in this last track event at {{Convert|97|mi|km}} out of {{Convert|100|mi|km}} due to a controller setting that activated the automatic safety system, causing it to come to a stop{{cite web |url= http://autoblog.xprize.org/axp/2010/07/a-race-to-the-finish.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100730063229/http://autoblog.xprize.org/axp/2010/07/a-race-to-the-finish.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 30 July 2010 |title= A Race to the Finish! |publisher= Progress Automotive X Prize |date= 3 August 2010 |access-date=10 December 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/07/27/4757819-the-last-super-cars-standing |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100729054744/http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/07/27/4757819-the-last-super-cars-standing |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 July 2010 |title=Cosmic Log – The last super-cars standing |publisher=MSNBC |access-date=20 May 2012}} and placing the team at 4th place in the event.{{cite web|url=http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org/prize-details/results |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100729141843/http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org/prize-details/results |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 July 2010 |title=Finals Stage Official Results | Progressive Automotive XPRIZE |publisher=Progressiveautoxprize.org |access-date=20 May 2012}}

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110209042025/http://zapalias.com/ Official website] (archived)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140321230829/http://www.zapworld.com/zap-alias-electric-car The Alias on the ZAP website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160123030240/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/15/more-renderings-of-zaps-next-vapor-ev-the-alias/ More renderings of Zap's next vapor EV]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zap Alias}}

Category:Electric sports cars

Category:Electric three-wheel vehicles

Category:Electric concept cars

Category:Lotus vehicles