In this era of the incredibly expanding pickup, a market is opening for a task-specific hauler that. ZAP has introduced a new electric vehicle, the Xebra PK, which the company is targeting to corporate, industrial and municipal fleets. The Xebra PK has a multi-purpose platform behind the passenger compartment that can fold down, transforming the vehicle from a hauler to a dump truck or flatbed. “As far as we know, they’re probably the only all-electric that you can get that’s faster than 25 miles per hour,” says ZAP Chairman Gary Starr. The PK boasts speeds of up to 40 mph, can handle up to 500 lbs. of cargo and is priced at $10,000. ZAP plans to organize quantity fleet pricing for the Xebra and lists dealers by location at its Web site, www.zapworld.com, Starr reports. ZAP will also distribute in North America an electric car from Brazilian automaker OBVIO ! based on its 828 and 012 microsport car designs. Zap has pre-purchased 50,000 units. OBVIO ! said that gas-ethanol engines would power the initial versions of its 828 and 012 microcar designs, planned for production in 2007. But the 828E and 012E equipped with advanced electric drive systems will not be far behind, says OBVIO ! President Ricardo Machado. They won’t be cheap, at a targeted price of $49,000 and $59,000 respectively, yet the cars will be capable of reaching a top speed exceeding 120 mph for a range of up to 240 miles per charge. A full recharge takes up to five hours for normal charging, or two hours with fast charging. The cars would be able to travel for 20 to 50 miles with just a 30-minute charge time.