US based electric vehicle manufacturer ZAP will launch CN 380, its first HYBRID CNG vehicle with Jonway Auto's A 380 sports utility vehicle (SUV).
The company is planning to make the car available in two variants that will be powered by either 1.6L or 2L engine mated to a manual transmission or the 1.8L that will be paired with both automatic and manual transmission.
According to the company, the HYBRID CNG engine in the vehicle will allow the driver to use gasoline engine when the CNG fuel is completed and automatically uses the gasoline as fuel to run the engine in case of a cold start state and the engine is warming up.
The CNG tank capacity will be equal to the gasoline tank capacity that will offer double the amount of fuel available along with the existing gasoline tank, the company said.
Promotion of the vehicle is being done by the company in the international markets including South America, while the company aims to reach the US market in the future, after the vehicle is approved there.
The demand for alternative energy vehicles is increasing in many South American countries, due to the rising cost of gasoline fuel, and about 60% to 65% savings can be made on the fuel cost by using the CNG, the company said.
