ZAP! ( ZAAP)
ZAP (OTCBB: ZAAP), formerly (NYSE arca: ZP) – Zero Air Pollution®, is a one-stop portal for a diverse lineup of quality, affordable advanced automotive technologies. ZAP has delivered more than 90,000 vehicles to customers in more than 75 different countries.
ZAP is dedicated to high technology research and development, and owns many patents and trademarks. ZAP is the only recognized brand name in electric transportation and has been acknowledged as an industry leader by Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Industry Week and Advertising Age Magazine. ZAP has been listed on the cover of Business 2.0 as one of the best business ideas in the world.
Corporate Mission
ZAP’s corporate mission is to be the most complete distribution source of advanced transportation technology and fuel-efficient vehicles that are socially responsible and environmentally more sustainable than existing offerings. ZAP aims to dominate this “niche” and believes that helping their stakeholders act responsibly, both as regards to the environment and the oil crisis, can go hand-in-hand with generating an appropriate return on investment.
Timely Opportunity
Limited focus by existing market players
ZAP feels the OEMs that dominate the US automobile market are not in this niche, nor have their actions demonstrated any real interest to be in the niche, primarily ZAP believes because their business model requires vehicle volumes in excess of 100,000 units.
Rapid growth in consumer demand
ZAP feels there is tremendous growth in their sector due to rising gas prices, growing awareness of our energy dependence, and increasing social consciousness and global warming issues. ZAP simply wants to now aggressively grow its mission to offer consumers and other stakeholders product that better address social responsibility and environmental sustainability than exist today.
Evolving Technology
Technology, and hence opportunities that meet ZAP’s mission, are evolving more rapidly than many expect. ZAP’s strategy is to partner with manufacturers overseas who understand this as well and whose products offer environmental, economic, and technological advantages over the products currently available in the US market. There are numerous manufacturers who would love to tap into the biggest consumer base in the world, but yet do not have the resources to launch a US entry.
Founded in 1994, ZAP has a long history of being a pioneer in electric and alternative fuel powered vehicles. As a magnet for innovation, ZAP believes that the company is well positioned to take advantage of the sea of change expected to occur over the next two-three years.
Voltage Vehicles
Voltage Vehicles, a wholly owned subsidiary of and distributor for ZAP!, is a nascent, full-service alternative fuel vehicle distributor specializing in the full spectrum of electric vehicles (EV) and full-performance alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) including automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, personal watercraft, hovercraft, neighborhood electric vehicles (NEV), commercial vehicles and accessories.
Set up similar to some of the major manufacturers, where as once one becomes a Voltage Vehicle Dealer, the dealer now has many quality makes under one roof. In the alternative Fuel Market it is the company’s goal to maintain under this one roof all of what they feel are the most user friendly manufacturers, as well as the most cutting edge technology available on the market today.
Voltage Vehicles’ developing independent dealer distribution network represents the most diverse nationwide offering of independent alternative fuel manufacturers. In fact, Voltage Vehicles is the only dealership in America today offering consumers a 100% City-Class Electric Vehicle – the XEBRA – in Production in the U.S. that goes over 40 mph.
In addition to XEBRA, Voltage Vehicles’ emerging new motor vehicle dealer network features strategic partnerships with major manufacturers of premium alternative energy products including:
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Active Role in Alternative Energy Transportation
Voltage Vehicles is striving to provide mainstream America with access to best in alternative energy transportation. Specifically, Voltage Vehicles is actively involved in the manufacturing, legislative, financial, education and awareness arenas to help consumers to make wise alternative energy purchases, to ensure competitive pricing, to improve product selection and availability, and to offer consumers advantageous financing solutions to make owning alternative energy products easier. Voltage Vehicles’ approach to the automotive industry is also helping to make a difference in the environment and providing creative solutions to help our nation tackle its dynamic energy issues. The first in a series of Voltage Vehicle dealerships launched throughout the United States in 2002.
Voltage Vehicles exhibits regularly at alternative fuel energy gatherings nationwide. They are a member of The Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas (http://www.electricdrive.org/ – Member Profile), the California chapter of the Electric Auto Association (http://www.eaaev.org/), the Independent Auto Dealers Association of California (IADAC) and the National Auto Independent Auto Association (NAIDA).
According to California Department of Motor Vehicles there are over 10,600 independent dealers in California alone. Voltage Vehicles are targeting the upper one percent of those. These are the dealers that are concerned about their industry, are usually members of all of the industry organizations, spend the time, money and energy on improving themselves and have a desire to get to the next level. The next level for them is usually a new car dealership. For many reasons including simple availability, this next step is not available to them.
Management
Steven Schneider
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Mr. Schneider has been director and Chief Executive Officer of ZAP since October 26, 2002. A 28 year auto industry veteran, Schneider is a recognized authority for advanced technology vehicles and has been interviewed by such national and international media as The Wall Street Journal, CNN, USA Today, Barron’s, The Discovery Channel, Automotive News, The New York Times, FOX News, MSNBC, CNBC’s Closing Bell, CBS News, NBC News, Business 2.0, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times and more. In 2001, Mr. Schneider founded Voltage Vehicles, a fuel vehicle distributor specializing in electric vehicles and full-performance alternative fuel vehicles such as automobiles, motorcycles, and bicycles. He also founded Auto Distributors, Inc., which is the promotion and distribution division of Voltage Vehicles. In 1996, Mr. Schneider founded the RAP Group, an automotive liquidator and reseller. Both Voltage Vehicles and the Rap Group were acquired by ZAP in 2002. He presently serves on the Advisory Board of Directors to Apollo Energy Systems, Inc. and serves as a director of Rotoblock Corporation, a public company focused on the continued development of the oscillating piston engine. Mr. Schneider served as interim President of Rotoblock from August to November 2005.
Max Scheder-Bieschin
President
Max Scheder-Bieschin was appointed President of ZAP on December 1, 2005 and served as Executive Vice President from October 14, 2005 until his appointment as President. Prior to joining ZAP, Mr. Scheder-Bieschin served as Managing Director of Corporate Finance for Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt, Germany from 2001 to 2004. From 1995 to 2001, Mr. Scheder-Bieschin led the mergers and acquisitions practice group at ING BHF Bank in Frankfurt and New York as Managing Director of Corporate Finance. Earlier in his career, he was a Principal with Fredericks Michael & Co., a New York-based mergers and acquisitions boutique investment banking firm, Associate Director in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group with Bear Stearns & Co. in New York, and a Staff Accountant with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. in New York. Mr. Scheder-Bieschin received a Bachelors degree in Economics from Stanford University and attended the Masters in Accounting program at New York University. He is also a graduate of the Executive Program in Strategy and Organization from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Gary Starr
Chairman of the Board
Mr. Starr co-founded ZAP in 1994, has been a director since the Company’s inception and served as Chief Executive Officer from 2000 to 2002. He became chairman of the Board of Directors in October 2002. Mr. Starr founded US Electricar’s electric vehicle operation in 1983. Mr. Starr has several publications: “Electric Cars: Your Guide to Clean Motoring, “The Shocking Truth of Electric Cars,” and “The True Cost of Oil.” In addition, he has appeared on more than 300 radio and television shows including Larry King Live, The Today Show, Inside Edition, CNN Headline News, Prime Time Live, the CBS Evening News and the McNeil Lehrer News Hour as an authority in the field of electric vehicles. Mr. Starr has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of California, Davis in Environmental Consulting and Advocacy.
Renay Cude
Corporate Secretary and Director
Ms. Cude was appointed Corporate Secretary in August 2002, and has been a director of the Company since October 26, 2002. Ms. Cude is the President of ZAP’s subsidiary, Voltage Vehicles, where she works closely with corporate counsel in obtaining all the required licensing in the 50 states for the proper distribution of advanced technology vehicles. Ms. Cude is also the President of ZAP Manufacturing and ZAP Rentals. Prior to joining ZAP, from 1997 to 2002, Ms. Cude worked as a legal secretary for various law firms. Ms. Cude has over five years experience working in the bankruptcy field where she helped companies through the reorganization process. Ms. Cude also currently serves as Secretary and a director of Rotoblock Corporation, a public company focused on the continued development of the oscillating piston engine. Ms. Cude holds an Associates Degree in General Education from Santa Rosa Junior College.
William Hartman
Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Hartman was appointed Chief Financial Officer in March 2001. He was engaged with the Company as a financial consultant starting in January 2001. Prior to his engagement at ZAP, Mr. Hartman provided financial and accounting consulting services to various Internet start up companies in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1999 to 2001. Mr. Hartman is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California with a Masters in Accounting Degree from the State University of New York.
Board of Directors
Peter Scholl
Raymond F. Byrne, 58, is currently the President of North Coast Bank, a division of American River Bank. Prior to that he was Senior Vice President and Senior Lender of North Coast Bank from 2001 to 2003. From 2000 to 2001 he was Vice President and Manager of Bank of the West.
Ray Byrnes
Peter H. Scholl, 60, is currently an independent engineering consultant. From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Scholl served as President of Rotoblock Inc. in Canada and Rotoblock Corporation, a Nevada corporation, in the development of Oscillating Piston Engine technology. He served as President of Unimont Inc., a real estate development firm, in Penticton, Canada from 2001 to 2003. From 1996 to 2000, Mr. Scholl worked on the development of water purification systems in Arizona. Mr. Scholl has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Institute of Technology in Biel, Switzerland.
Guy Fieri
Mr. Fieri has been a director since 2004 and is an entrepreneur and restaurateur, having founded and operated three restaurants in the North Bay Area of San Francisco over the past seven years. In 2006, Mr. Fieri reached national TV stardom with his own cooking show called called Guy’s Big Bite on The Food Network Channel. The program was part of a national competition in which Mr. Fieri was selected as The Next Food Network Star from more than 10,000 entrants. He previously held various management positions in large food development companies. Mr. Fieri has been a three term President of the Restaurant Association of the Redwood Empire and currently serves on the board of directors for the Educational Foundation of the California Restaurant Association.
Matthias Heinze
Contact Info:
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
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