ZAP to use Lotus APX technology
Electric carmaker ZAP will display Lotus Engineering's advanced APX concept car at the North American Dealers Association (NADA) annual meeting and exhibition on 3-6 February 2007.
ZAP said it confirms its decision to move ahead using Lotus' platform and body structure design as the basis for the development of the high performance electric ZAP-X.
ZAP and Lotus Engineering will begin the first phase of an engineering project to use Lotus' APX ("Aluminium Performance Crossover") as a basis for designing a production-ready electric all-wheel drive crossover high performance vehicle for ZAP in the USA market. A combination of the lightweight aluminium vehicle architecture, a new efficient drive and advanced battery management systems is intended to enable a range of up to 350 miles between charges, with a 10-minute recharging time. An auxiliary power unit is planned to support longer distance journeys.
Lotus APX's conventional petrol V6 engine will be replaced by in-hub electric motors, delivering 644bhp in all-wheel-drive mode, theoretically capable of powering the ZAP-X to a potential top speed of 155mph. A new strong, lightweight and highly efficient structure based on the Lotus technology is planned to give the car a very attractive power-to-weight ratio.
ZAP boss Steve Schneider said: "Lotus Engineering's APX technology demonstrator vehicle is a perfect fit for our plans to introduce a full product portfolio of electric cars. Due to the initial design by Lotus, our cost and time to production will be significantly reduced. We believe that the ZAP-X will become the most advanced, most practical and most appealing flagship electric vehicle to date and will revolutionise the industry providing the driver with the enjoyment of a sports car and the practicality of an SUV."
Lotus boss Mike Kimberley said: "Lotus Engineering's APX is a world-class innovative concept and was developed to showcase real solutions to new challenges facing the automotive industry. So it's very satisfying that ZAP's proposed new model will make use of a great deal of the APX concept's advanced body structure and chassis technology. The bringing together of these next-generation vehicle technologies represents another significant step forward for automotive technology."
The APX showcases Lotus Engineering's Versatile Vehicle Architecture technology, combining lightweight aluminium vehicle architecture with strong and stiff structural rigidity, as well as lower manufacturing investment requirements.
Having first been shown to the world at the Geneva motor show in 2006, the APX concept has won the 2006 European Aluminium Awards in the "Transport and Automotive" category.
The placement of the power train leaves the space previously occupied by the conventional engine and drive train for additional battery capacity and amenities, making it a very consumer-oriented electric car concept, said ZAP. These design features will give the ZAP-X crossover the structural strength, and potentially storage and range that no electric vehicle has yet achieved publicly.
The development programme will be managed from a new centre for research and development of environmentally-friendly vehicle designs and technologies. Engineering input will come from Lotus Engineering Inc, and the British technology consultancy's other R&D centres in the UK, Malaysia and China.
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