Zap's moving to China. OK, it's just opening a new nanotechnology battery "joint development office" with Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. (ABAT) in Beijing, the two companies announced today. The reason for opening this office is "to expand their research, manufacturing and marketing of advanced batteries for electric cars using the latest in nanotechnology."

ABAT is the company that makes the lithium-polymer and nanotech batteries that Zap recently agreed to use in their Xebra EVs and other products. The purchase agreement was for $5.168 million worth of batteries. As always, improved batteries sound great. In this case Zap and ABAT are saying the life expectancy of these batteries is over 1,000 charges, and will offer "three to five times greater performance in terms of range and speed, as well as faster charge times, in some cases as little as ten minutes." We'll be waiting for the test drive.

[Source: ZAP, Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc.]