SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Air Resources Board is offering a $1,000 rebate toward the purchase of a Xebra electric car and truck from ZAP. Both the Xebra electric city car and pickup have passed a full battery of testing and approval requirements by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and have been officially approved for the $1,000 cash rebates.

To receive a rebate, vehicles must be ARB qualified and pass a range and speed course, as well as comply with all federal motor vehicle safety standards and meet a minimum manufacturer warranty.

According to ZAP, many drivers are filling up their gas tank for about $60 dollars, but a Xebra can recharge for as little as 60 cents. ZAP CEO Steve Schneider noted that the rebate should cover more than 30,000 miles of driving assuming, electricity costs of three cents per mile. That could mean several years of not having to pay for fuel.

Schneider also said ZAP has delivered more than 700 units of the Xebra as of April. Surging gas prices have sparked an increase in orders from consumers and dealers. ZAP reported a backlog of $6.8 million in Xebra orders, more than all 2007 sales combined.

The program is part of $25 million in overall funding that came out of Assembly Bill 1811 — authored by Speaker Fabian Nunez (D–Los Angeles) and passed in 2007 — which promotes alternative-fuel infrastructure and vehicles. The rebates are available for qualifying vehicles that are purchased until Mar. 31, 2009, or until the funding of the grant runs out.

The all-electric Xebra is designed for city-speed driving up to 40 MPH. The sedan is a four-door vehicle with room for four, and the truck has a dump bed that can transform into a flatbed.