RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Schedule of Related Party Balances) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due from related party	$ 1,334	$ 1,614
Accounts receivable included in accounts receivable due from related parties	4,698	5,172
Amount due to related party	16,707	13,978
Jonway EV Selling Ltd [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Accounts receivable included in accounts receivable due from related parties	4,249	4,659
Sanmen Branch [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due from related party	994	998
Accounts receivable included in accounts receivable due from related parties	155	212
Jonway Group [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due to related party	14,721	12,606
Jonway Motor Cycle [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due from related party	96
Accounts receivable included in accounts receivable due from related parties	294	301
Amount due to related party	64	64
Taizhou Jonway [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due from related party	120
Taizhou Huadu [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due to related party	1,310	846
Shanghai Zapple [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due from related party	124
Amount due to related party		35
Jonway Economy and Trade Co Ltd [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due from related party		616
Mr Alex Wang [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due to related party	7	74
Mr Huaiyi Wang [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due to related party	14
Better World [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due to related party	149	149
Zhejiang Jonway Painting Co., Ltd. [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due to related party		11
Cathaya Operations [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount due to related party	$ 442	$ 193

ZAP 10-Q