American Driver Side Minitruck

**vangstang** · 11-10-2008, 02:48 PM

I just came accross this website. It is a minitruck, electric engine though. The driver side looks like it is american. I can't find much info on it through the website. I'm wondering if it is street legal? anyone know anything about these builders?

http://www.zapworld.com/electric-veh...s/zap-truck-xl

**speedy67** · 11-10-2008, 04:29 PM

Fixed your link: http://www.zapworld.com/electric-veh...s/zap-truck-xl

BTW, the Zap company so far has been a flash in the pan, all talk and press releases, no results. The idea is good, but so far they seem a little fishy to me.

Chryslewr is supposed to be doing a joint venture with Tata Motors out of India for an electric truck based on the Ace.

Here's a link: http://www.indiaautomotive.net/2008/...-to-offer.html

Also hac information on a Zap.

**MiniBrutes** · 11-10-2008, 04:50 PM

Suzuki based chassis, thats for sure.

We sold a hatsu to a guy here planning on building electric units for resale.

**350v8s10** · 11-10-2008, 06:59 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=400006557605

There is a dealer about 30 miles from me that has been advertising Dymac electric mini-trucks on eBay. The auction at the above link has expired but still has LOTS of photos & info

Terry.

**350v8s10** · 11-10-2008, 07:38 PM

http://www.dymacusa.com/utility.php
More info on the Dymac electric mini truck here.

**Timetripper** · 11-10-2008, 07:55 PM

Here's a quote from the Zap brochure:

Approx. 3 cents per mile
Speeds Up to 25 MPH
Range Up to 30 Miles
Right & Left Side
Steering Options Available
A Hefty Two Seater

You would think if the are building LHD's that they could up the speed on them to 30 mph so that it would keep up with the flow of traffic if licensed for the road.
Not sure of all the license requirements Stateside.

**350v8s10** · 11-10-2008, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Timetripper

Here's a quote from the Zap brochure:

You would think if the are building LHD's that they could up the speed on them to 30 mph so that it would keep up with the flow of traffic if licensed for the road.
Not sure of all the license requirements Stateside.

The U.S. laws I have read, regarding the regulation and use of "Neighborhood Electric Vehicles" (NEV) state the maximum allowable speed is 25 MPH. I would guess that is the reason for the manufacturers limiting them to 25 mph. In Texas, our residential speed limit is 30 mph, unless otherwise posted. That puts NEVs at a 5 mph disadvantage before they ever hit the street.

**Timetripper** · 11-10-2008, 09:01 PM

Up here in Canada they are just starting to allow EV's on the road for local city use.
Some of the comments and reasoning is enough to make a grown man cry.
These no minds think EV's are slow vehicles - wrong, most of them out accelerate their internal combustion kin.
So why limit them to a slower speed than the other cars on the same road?
Just plain dumb IMO, any time you have a flow of traffic going two different speeds on the same road it just increases the road rage and there is absolutely no reason for it.
Some of the powers that be were concerned that they are little more than a fiberglass shell and aluminum frame. As opposed to? A motorcycle?
Lets face it as a adult I am old enough to know if a EV is a suitable form of transportation for me.
Sorry for ranting and going OT but sometimes

**MiniBrutes** · 11-11-2008, 12:12 PM

Haha yeah. Some people are so concerned with the safety aspect of the Minitrucks... I tell them "its safer than a motorcycle".

Of course being street legal, people have a bad habit of trying to compare them to a chevy half ton, which is definitely not how they should be interpreted.

I mean there is a LSV class in Canada, but is there any law that they can't go as fast as they want? I dont think so, as long as they conform to the regular automotive regulations.

**TRAX and HORNS** · 11-11-2008, 07:09 PM

Recently I was driving around Austin,Tx and saw one of these ZAP trucks parked at a house. Nosey as I am, I stopped and knocked on the door. Nice lady answered the door and I asked her about the truck. It was electric, goes about 30 to 40 miles on a charge(with ac on 20 to 30 miles). Her husband is a dentist here in Austin and just bought out the Zap dealership in San Antonio, Tx. The truck seemed to be built a little on the weak side but ok if you stayed on the street. Had more room up front than a Kei truck. But the main draw back, its 3 wheeled, which would classify it as a motorcycle in Texas or EV. No way could you drive it around the pasture. Id flip it in 2 min. I think the retail price was around 9500.00. It was right hand drive.

**Timetripper** · 11-11-2008, 07:16 PM

Trax, That would have been the Zap Xebra you saw - it's three wheeled. list $12,500.00
The Zap Truck XL is like our Kei trucks with 4 wheels list $14,950.00

**jtpc** · 11-11-2008, 07:50 PM

That's interesting. I know that tiger trucks also makes an electric mini-truck.
Most electric ones I've seen don't have the speed ability of the japanese petrol mini-trucks. At this point I prefer to have the power/top speed and pay for the fuel consumption of a 3 or 4-cylinder engine than have an electric mini-truck.

(and not that I am anti-EV or anything. I think ideas like the Jeep Wrangler EV make sense, but with these mini-trucks I think petrol engines have a better cost/efficiency ratio at this point seeing how efficient they naturally are [and affordable])

**SpikeFiend** · 11-12-2008, 10:29 AM

I think these trucks would be ideal for electric conversion since they lack a lot of the bloat that larger vehicles have.

For about $6000 you could get an electric truck that matches every aspect of performance except range. Range would be roughly 30-70 miles depending on batteries and driving habits. If EESTOR ever produces their EESU you can bump that range up to 250 miles.

**jtpc** · 11-12-2008, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by SpikeFiend

For about $6000 you could get an electric truck that matches every aspect of performance except range. Range would be roughly 30-70 miles depending on batteries and driving habits.

Which one is this?

**SpikeFiend** · 11-12-2008, 03:20 PM

Which one is this?

That would be the cost to convert, on top of the cost of the truck. Includes batteries, motor, controller, adapter plate, charger, and maybe some wiring depending on how you budget.

You can sell the gas components and make up some of that back (engine, gas tank, muffler, starter battery, etc...).

Electric cars are mainly DIY for now.