ZAP: French Technology Exec to Chair Advisory Board for ZAP Electric Vehicles

SANTA ROSA, CA--(Marketwire - September 17, 2009) - Electric vehicle pioneer ZAP (OTCBB: [ ZAAP ]) appointed French technology executive Georges Penalver to chair its advisory board, a move aligned with the U.S. Company's recent focus to expand operations in Europe and Asia.

Mr. Penalver is a 30-plus year management executive with broad international business experience in telecommunications strategy and marketing. Currently he is France Telecom Orange's Senior Executive Vice President, Group Strategy & Development and a member of the France Telecom's Group Management Committee.

ZAP appointed Mr. Penalver to lead the effort in establishing an advisory board to support its recent business expansion, backed in part by financier Jacques de Chateauvieux's Paris-based Jaccar Holdings. The intention is to bring a wide range of backgrounds, real-world experience, networking contacts, best practices and third-party objectivity.

"We are fortunate to have a wealth of world class talent interested in electric transportation and are honored that Georges has accepted a role in marshalling this talent," said Priscilla Lu, Chair for ZAP's board of directors. "Having worked with him I know he brings a great deal of experience, vision and international credentials to advise ZAP's management."

Before joining France Telecom in September 2005, Georges Penalver was Deputy General Manager of SAGEM Communication (SAFRAN group). From 2002 to 2005, he developed SAGEM'S Broadband Communications Business, overseeing the launch of new fixed and mobile product offers, industrial deployment in Tunisia, Asia and Eastern Europe, and the development of sales networks in Europe, China, Southeast Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. Appointed to serve on SAGEM's Management Board in 2001, he notably accompanied the mass development of mobile and Internet services.

Mr. Penalver is a graduate of the Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Arts et Metiers in Aix en Provence (gold medal, 1974) and the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Telecommunications in Paris (1980). He is also a Knight of the French Ordre National du Merite.

About ZAP

ZAP has been a leader in electric transportation since 1994, manufacturing a line of electric vehicles. ZAP supplies electric trucks and vans to military and government fleets and is an innovator of state of the art electric motorcycles, scooters, and ATVs. ZAP is volume manufacturer of some of the only electric city-speed cars and trucks in production today and is leveraging its accrued technology know-how in developing an affordable cost effective high-speed electric roadster called the ZAP Alias. For further information visit [ http://www.zapworld.com ].

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. 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.

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ZAP: French Technology Exec to Chair Advisory Board for ZAP Electric Vehicles