ORGANIZATION	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
ORGANIZATION	NOTE 1 - ORGANIZATION ZAP was incorporated in California in September, 1994 (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company” or “ZAP Group”). ZAP Group markets electric, alternative energy, and fuel efficient automobiles and commercial vehicles, motorcycles and scooters, and other forms of personal transportation. The Company’s business strategy is to develop, acquire, and commercialize electric vehicles and electric vehicle power systems which the Company believes have fundamental practical and environmental advantages over available internal combustion modes of transportation and that can be produced commercially on an economically competitive basis. In pursuit of a manufacturing plant and a partner with an existing product line, a distribution and customer support network in China, and experience in vehicle manufacturing, ZAP acquired a majority of the outstanding equity in Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co., Ltd. (“Jonway Auto”). At the time of the acquisition, the Company believed that its acquisition of 51% equity interest of Jonway Auto would enable it to access the rapidly-growing Chinese market for electric vehicles (“EV”) and to expand its EV business and distribution network around the world. The Company also believed Jonway Auto’s ISO 9001 certified manufacturing facility would provide the competitive production capacity and resources to support production of ZAP Group’s planned line of electric SUV, minivan, and Neighborhood EV (“NEV”). Jonway Auto is a limited liability company incorporated in Sanmen County, Zhejiang Province of the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”) on April 28, 2004 by Jonway Group Co., Ltd. (“Jonway Group”). Jonway Group is under the control of three individuals, Wang Huaiyi, Alex Wang (the son of Wang Huaiyi) and Wang Xiaoying (the daughter of Wang Huaiyi), and all three individuals are collectively referred to as the “Wang Family” herein with. ZAP has a wholly owned subsidiary, ZAP Hong Kong, a Hong Kong limited company. ZAP Hong Kong was established in 2011 as a wholly foreign owned enterprises (“WOFE”) and has no operation since incorporated. Jonway Auto established three wholly-owned subsidiaries, namely, Taizhou Selling Co., Ltd., focusing on vehicles marketing and distribution, Taizhou Fuxing Vehicle Sale Co., Ltd., focusing on minivan marketing and distribution in China, and Taizhou Vehicle Leasing Co., Ltd., focusing on the vehicle leasing business in Taizhou. As of December 31, 2016, the Company has an outstanding unpaid principal balance of $20,679,069 due to China Electric Vehicle Corporation (“CEVC”) in regards to the Company’s Amended and Restated Promissory Note dated March 22, 2012 (“Note”). Pursuant to the terms of the Note, CEVC has right to convert the unpaid principal balance of the Note into shares of common stock of the Company’s Chinese subsidiary, Jonway Auto (“Conversion”). Upon Conversion, the Company’s indebtedness to CEVC under the Note shall be satisfied in full and CEVC, or its designee, shall hold approximately 39.479% of the equity of Jonway Auto and the Company’s equity position in Jonway Auto shall be reduced from 51% to approximately 11.52%. Accordingly, the Company shall be forced to deconsolidate Jonway Auto. Effective on April 3, 2017, the CEVC and the Board of the Company have mutually agreed to put the conversion temporarily on hold as the Board of the Company approved the initiation of due diligence with respect to the possible merger of the Company with Jonway Group’s motorcycle business with the intention of developing its “light electric vehicle” business (See Note 10).

NOTE 1 - ORGANIZATION

ZAP was incorporated in California in September, 1994 (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company” or “ZAP Group”). ZAP Group markets electric, alternative energy, and fuel efficient automobiles and commercial vehicles, motorcycles and scooters, and other forms of personal transportation. The Company’s business strategy is to develop, acquire, and commercialize electric vehicles and electric vehicle power systems which the Company believes have fundamental practical and environmental advantages over available internal combustion modes of transportation and that can be produced commercially on an economically competitive basis.

In pursuit of a manufacturing plant and a partner with an existing product line, a distribution and customer support network in China, and experience in vehicle manufacturing, ZAP acquired a majority of the outstanding equity in Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co., Ltd. (“Jonway Auto”). At the time of the acquisition, the Company believed that its acquisition of 51% equity interest of Jonway Auto would enable it to access the rapidly-growing Chinese market for electric vehicles (“EV”) and to expand its EV business and distribution network around the world. The Company also believed Jonway Auto’s ISO 9001 certified manufacturing facility would provide the competitive production capacity and resources to support production of ZAP Group’s planned line of electric SUV, minivan, and Neighborhood EV (“NEV”).

Jonway Auto is a limited liability company incorporated in Sanmen County, Zhejiang Province of the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”) on April 28, 2004 by Jonway Group Co., Ltd. (“Jonway Group”). Jonway Group is under the control of three individuals, Wang Huaiyi, Alex Wang (the son of Wang Huaiyi) and Wang Xiaoying (the daughter of Wang Huaiyi), and all three individuals are collectively referred to as the “Wang Family” herein with.

ZAP has a wholly owned subsidiary, ZAP Hong Kong, a Hong Kong limited company. ZAP Hong Kong was established in 2011 as a wholly foreign owned enterprises (“WOFE”) and has no operation since incorporated. Jonway Auto established three wholly-owned subsidiaries, namely, Taizhou Selling Co., Ltd., focusing on vehicles marketing and distribution, Taizhou Fuxing Vehicle Sale Co., Ltd., focusing on minivan marketing and distribution in China, and Taizhou Vehicle Leasing Co., Ltd., focusing on the vehicle leasing business in Taizhou.

As of December 31, 2016, the Company has an outstanding unpaid principal balance of $20,679,069 due to China Electric Vehicle Corporation (“CEVC”) in regards to the Company’s Amended and Restated Promissory Note dated March 22, 2012 (“Note”). Pursuant to the terms of the Note, CEVC has right to convert the unpaid principal balance of the Note into shares of common stock of the Company’s Chinese subsidiary, Jonway Auto (“Conversion”). Upon Conversion, the Company’s indebtedness to CEVC under the Note shall be satisfied in full and CEVC, or its designee, shall hold approximately 39.479% of the equity of Jonway Auto and the Company’s equity position in Jonway Auto shall be reduced from 51% to approximately 11.52%. Accordingly, the Company shall be forced to deconsolidate Jonway Auto. Effective on April 3, 2017, the CEVC and the Board of the Company have mutually agreed to put the conversion temporarily on hold as the Board of the Company approved the initiation of due diligence with respect to the possible merger of the Company with Jonway Group’s motorcycle business with the intention of developing its “light electric vehicle” business (See Note 10).