FRANKLIN, KY – After the ground breaking on an electric car plant for Integrity Automotive, residents and city officials in Simpson County have shown their support by ordering three electric trucks from ZAP.

The City of Franklin, Franklin Bank & Trust, and County Judge Executive Jim Henderson have all placed orders. In honor of the new factory, ZAP officials are currently giving a $1,000 rebate to any Franklin, Ky., resident that orders a ZAP vehicle within the next 60 days.

The Simpson County school and water districts have also been in discussions regarding possible purchases. Franklin Mayor Jim Brown said that the truck has been a conversation starter.

“We love it. We use it in place of a gas-guzzler for making deliveries, picking up mail, and other jobs around town,” said Mayor Brown. “If there are better ways available to do something, then people can be more proactive rather than falling back on a less popular solution.”

Gary Broady, president of Franklin Bank & Trust, said more people in town have expressed interest in ordering the Xebra after they recently took the city’s red Xebra truck and the bank’s new blue one to some local races.

The first electric truck sparked interest in Franklin on Sunday during Hurricane Ike when shortages forced every gas station in the City of Franklin to close. Gas prices in many parts of the South have passed $4 per gallon following supply problems caused by Ike.

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear declared a state of emergency to help control skyrocketing gas prices.

Integrity Automotive broke ground in Simpson County on Aug. 28 for an electric car factory that is a joint venture between Integrity Manufacturing of Shepherdsville, Ky., and ZAP of Santa Rosa, Calif.

Several hundred residents and business people from Franklin and Simpson County attended the groundbreaking.