A while back we were telling you that ZAP was looking for an engineering firm to help make their Alias three-wheeled electric car drawing come to life. It seems Applied Technologies, Inc. has taken up that challenge and, according to the Toledo Blade, there were plans to show off the powertrain-less prototype to the public for a few hours on Monday before it was shipped to ZAP headquarters. We were hoping we could show you a picture from the historic event but, not only is the Internet seemingly bare of Alias photographs at this time, there isn't even a press release from ZAP! marking the occasion. It's all very strange. The next thing you know, the Obvio will disappear from their products list.

Holy Spicoli! The Obvio is no longer on the Zap! product list. Maybe the new chairman of the board and heavy-duty investor is trying to regain some lost respectability for the company and actually produce a promised vehicle. In any case, expect to see some prototype pictures soon. Hopefully.

*Alerted by a commenter, we noticed that although the Obvio is not listed with most of the ZAP! product line, it does have its own little paragraph down the page that states that Obvio is expected to deliver vehicles to ZAP in 2008. The Obvio website says it is "currently facing serious trouble in its operational schedule" because of the demise of its motor supplier and subsequent sale to Fiat.

[Source: Toledo Blade]