Recommendations for Buying a ZAP Xebra Electric Vehicle
for Blacksburg/Christiansburg or Roanoke/Salem Areas

Specifications:

I highly recommend the following requirements for any purchasers of ZAP Xebra vehicles in the Blacksburg/Christiansburg VA area or the Roanoke/Salem area:

Buy from Grants Pass EV in Oregon who installs 84-Volts systems in ZAPs. He can deliver it to your front door. Another good dealer is Midwest EV in Kansas, from whom I bought my ZAP Xebra PK. A closer dealer is Carolina EV in South Carolina; he probably is a good dealer.
Specify AGM or Gel lead-acid batteries of 125 Ah or higher. (Or LiIonFeP, if you can afford them.)
Specify the 84-volts version (7 batteries) with the heavy-duty controller ($358.55/$366.35 for PK/SD upgrade kit, not including the extra battery and controller). This enables driving on the bypass between Blacksburg and the first two exits in Christiansburg between 35 & 45 mph.
Specify Woodward springs on all three wheels ($149 for front spring, $149/$159 for each PK/SD rear spring).
Specify that the bottom of the bed and the inside of the PK bed be lined with some standard spray-on liner (~$750)
Specify Woodward motor shield ($59.95).
Specify Woodward greasable shock bolts for all three shocks ($9.95 each)
Specify PakTrakr (two remotes required for over 6 batteries) to monitor batteries ($150 for display and $70 for each remote).
Specify Woodward large screen for PakTrakr to make it easier to monitor batteries ($159). There is a version that records data into an SD card ($249).
Specify LED lights as much as possible.
Specify Battery Life Saver desulfator for first 6 batteries (72 volts) and another one for the 7 th battery (12/24 volts) ($119.95 each).
Specify BattEq battery balancing system, one for 6 batteries ($239). The 7 th battery is not needed to be equalized with the first 6, because it is charged by its own charger.
If wanted, specify LED side markers.
If wanted, specify Woodward speedometer/odometer corrector ($175).
If wanted, specify the upgraded heater ($110).

Driving recommendations:

The batteries need to be conditioned.
Seven 140-Ah/20hr batteries will take the Xebra about 25 miles maximum per charge on level ground. However, the batteries will deliver the most lifetime energy if they are always driven to about half discharge between charges. So I am trying to not drive over 20 miles per charge, with most trips 15 miles or less. (I have the Discover EV12A-A 138-Ah/20hr AGM batteries.) I often drive 10 or more miles in the morning, charge for a few hours, drive 10 or more miles at noon, charge for a few hours, then drive 10 or more hours in the evening.
Do not stress the batteries by constant maximum acceleration or driving up steep hills. The PakTrakr with the large display mentioned above helps to monitor this. When a battery goes below 10.6 volts, the display shows a hollow bar instead of a solid bar for that battery. Driving when a battery is below 10.6 volts will eventually kill the battery.

Virginia Laws:

Registration of a ZAP Xebra as a motorcycle is straightforward, as it is in the DMV computer. A ZAP Xebra driver is supposed to have a Class M designation on his/her drivers’ license; some owners drive without the M designation. . The Xebra cannot do two of the four maneuvers required to get the M designation; the DMV agent let me pass by doing only the two it will do. One does not have to wear a helmet, but it is wise to do so since there are only seat belts, not air bags.

Insurance:

If you have car and building insurance policies with a company, it will probably insure your ZAP Xebra. I insure mine with State Farm for about $200 per year.

Steep-Hills or Mountain Driving:

If you live or often drive on mountainous roads, the XAP Xebra is not the vehicle for you. There will be more powerful electric vehicles available in the next few years for twice or more the cost that will work for that situation.

If you want an electric vehicle that will work on mountain roads now, you need to buy a Toyota Prius and then convert it to an A123/Hymotion plug-in hybrid.

Such a vehicle will be mostly an electric vehicle for speeds less than 30 mph around town and a hybrid for higher speeds and longer trips.

L. David Roper, roperld@vt.edu, http://arts.bev.net/RoperLDavid