Long - Term Debt	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Long - Term Debt [Abstract]
Long - Term Debt	NOTE 10 - Long – Term Debt 8% SENIOR CONVERTIBLE NOTE - China Electric Vehicle Corporation ("CEVC") Note On January 12, 2011, the Company entered into a Senior Secured Convertible Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement (the "Agreement") with China Electric Vehicle Corporation ("CEVC"), a British Virgin Island company whose sole shareholder is Cathaya Capital, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership ("Cathaya"). Priscilla Lu is the chairman of the board of directors of ZAP, a managing partner of Cathaya and a director of CEVC. Pursuant to the Agreement, (i) CEVC purchased from the Company a Senior Secured Convertible Note (the "Note") in the principal amount of US$19 million, as amended, (ii) the Company issued to CEVC a warrant (the "Warrant") exercisable for two years for the purchase up to 20 million shares of the Company's Common Stock at $0.50 per share, as amended (iii) the Company, certain investors and CEVC entered into an Amended and Restated Voting Agreement that amended and restated that certain Voting Agreement, dated as of August 6, 2009 that was previously granted to Cathaya Capital L.P., (iv) the Company, certain investors and CEVC entered into an Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement that amended and restated that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of August 6, 2009, that was previously granted to Cathaya Capital L.P which grants certain registration rights relating to the Note and the Warrant, and (v) the Company and CEVC entered into a Security Agreement that secures the Note with all of the Company's assets other than those assets specifically excluded from the lien created by the Security Agreement. The Note which initially was scheduled to mature on February 12, 2012 but was extended to August 12, 2013 according to the representation letter dated March 21, 2012 from CEVC. On March 22, 2012, ZAP entered into an amendment to the note which extended the maturity date of the note from August 12, 2012 to August 12, 2013. This amendment adjusted the rate at which the note would convert into shares of ZAP Common Stock or shares of capital stock of Zheijiang Jonway Automobile, Co. Ltd. held by ZAP. In addition, the warrant issued in connection with the CEVC note was amended to change the terms of conversion and to extend the maturity date until February 12, 2014. The interest accrued through the maturity date of February 12, 2012 in the amount of $1.5 million has been added to the existing principal. The total amount of the convertible note is approximately $20.5 million with a new maturity date of August 12, 2013. The note accrues interest at a rate per annum of 8% effective to February 12, 2012. The note is convertible upon the option of CEVC at any time, into (a) shares of Jonway capital stock owned by ZAP at a conversion rate of 0.003743% of shares of Jonway capital stock owned by ZAP for each $1,000 principal amount of the Note being converted or (b) shares of ZAP common stock at a conversion rate of 4,435 shares of common stock for each $1,000 principal amount of the Note being converted., Since the value of the common stock into which the above-mentioned note is converted is greater than the proceeds for such issuance, a beneficial conversion feature totaling $19 million was recorded. During 2011, a total of $16.9 million in amortization was recorded and charged to interest expense. and the remaining balance of $2.1 million of the discount was offset against the Company's equity account due to the note extension to August 12, 2013. In addition, the Company recorded $1.5 million in interest expense through the year ended December 31, 2011 related to this note.

NOTE 10 - Long – Term Debt

8% SENIOR CONVERTIBLE NOTE - China Electric Vehicle Corporation ("CEVC") Note

On January 12, 2011, the Company entered into a Senior Secured Convertible Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement (the "Agreement") with China Electric Vehicle Corporation ("CEVC"), a British Virgin Island company whose sole shareholder is Cathaya Capital, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership ("Cathaya"). Priscilla Lu is the chairman of the board of directors of ZAP, a managing partner of Cathaya and a director of CEVC.

Pursuant to the Agreement, (i) CEVC purchased from the Company a Senior Secured Convertible Note (the "Note") in the principal amount of US$19 million, as amended, (ii) the Company issued to CEVC a warrant (the "Warrant") exercisable for two years for the purchase up to 20 million shares of the Company's Common Stock at $0.50 per share, as amended (iii) the Company, certain investors and CEVC entered into an Amended and Restated Voting Agreement that amended and restated that certain Voting Agreement, dated as of August 6, 2009 that was previously granted to Cathaya Capital L.P., (iv) the Company, certain investors and CEVC entered into an Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement that amended and restated that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of August 6, 2009, that was previously granted to Cathaya Capital L.P which grants certain registration rights relating to the Note and the Warrant, and (v) the Company and CEVC entered into a Security Agreement that secures the Note with all of the Company's assets other than those assets specifically excluded from the lien created by the Security Agreement.

The Note which initially was scheduled to mature on February 12, 2012 but was extended to August 12, 2013 according to the representation letter dated March 21, 2012 from CEVC. On March 22, 2012, ZAP entered into an amendment to the note which extended the maturity date of the note from August 12, 2012 to August 12, 2013. This amendment adjusted the rate at which the note would convert into shares of ZAP Common Stock or shares of capital stock of Zheijiang Jonway Automobile, Co. Ltd. held by ZAP. In addition, the warrant issued in connection with the CEVC note was amended to change the terms of conversion and to extend the maturity date until February 12, 2014. The interest accrued through the maturity date of February 12, 2012 in the amount of $1.5 million has been added to the existing principal. The total amount of the convertible note is approximately $20.5 million with a new maturity date of August 12, 2013. The note accrues interest at a rate per annum of 8% effective to February 12, 2012. The note is convertible upon the option of CEVC at any time, into (a) shares of Jonway capital stock owned by ZAP at a conversion rate of 0.003743% of shares of Jonway capital stock owned by ZAP for each $1,000 principal amount of the Note being converted or (b) shares of ZAP common stock at a conversion rate of 4,435 shares of common stock for each $1,000 principal amount of the Note being converted.,

Since the value of the common stock into which the above-mentioned note is converted is greater than the proceeds for such issuance, a beneficial conversion feature totaling $19 million was recorded. During 2011, a total of $16.9 million in amortization was recorded and charged to interest expense. and the remaining balance of $2.1 million of the discount was offset against the Company's equity account due to the note extension to August 12, 2013.

In addition, the Company recorded $1.5 million in interest expense through the year ended December 31, 2011 related to this note.