For all those people who are disgruntled about electric vehicles being imported from China, or having a very limited range or being too strange looking, this is good news: ZAP (Zero Air Pollution electric vehicles) and Integrity Car Manufacturing are setting up a car manufacturing plant in Franklin Kentucky that will start producing highly advanced, fully electric, affordable cars within about a year from today.

The ground breaking took place on Thursday, 28 August. This will create approximately 4000 jobs in the area.

The car that is going to be produced is the Alias and as executive director of the Franklin-Simpson Chamber of Commerce Steve Thurmond explains to a crowd of Franklin residents. "Friends, let me tell you. This is big."

Here are some of the Specs for the Alias:

Development Updates:
• Recent Footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_laBPi9wbA
• Prototype now being developed.
ZAP Alias Prototype - June 2008ZAP Alias Prototype - June 2008June 2008: Prototyping with Applied Technologies of Maunamee, Ohio:
http://www.youtube.com/...&feature=related
• CAD Walk-a-round: http://www.zapworld.com/...s/ZAP_AliasVideo.wmv

Performance
• 0 – 60 mph : 7.7 seconds
• Vmax: 100 mph
• EV range: 100+ miles (160.9 kilometer)
• Vehicle curb mass: 1612.6 lbs (733 kg)

Safety
ZAP-3 Homologated as a motorcycle with Enhanced safety features
• Seatbelts
• Roll hoop

- CAE will guide the development of structural safety solutions.

( http://www.zapworld.com/...ctric-cars/zap-alias )