▁the ▁French ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁front ier . ▁▁ ▁The ▁location ▁was ▁chosen ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁avoid ▁the ▁tar iff ▁bar riers ▁that ▁protected ▁French ▁manufact ur ers ▁from ▁Swiss ▁imports . ▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ▁this , ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 0 5 , ▁Zür cher ▁closed ▁the ▁Swiss ▁production ▁facility ▁at ▁Saint - A ub in - S au ges . ▁▁ ▁Est ab lish ing ▁production ▁in ▁France ▁also ▁gave ▁Z ed el ▁direct ▁access ▁to ▁experienced ▁autom ot ive ▁engine ers ▁and ▁techn icians ▁in ▁France ▁which ▁was ▁at ▁this ▁time ▁still , ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁output , ▁the ▁world ' s ▁leading ▁autom obile ▁producer . ▁▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁( and ▁possibly ▁a ▁little ▁earlier ), ▁Z ed el ▁was ▁producing ▁autom ob iles ▁( known ▁as ▁Z ed els ) ▁at ▁Pont ar lier . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁about ▁ 4 0 0 ▁units ▁had ▁been ▁produced . ▁ ▁Swiss ▁production ▁of ▁engines , ▁motor ▁b ikes ▁and ▁autom ob iles ▁res umed ▁briefly ▁from ▁ 1 1 ▁November ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁when ▁Zür cher ▁appointed ▁a ▁Swiss ▁engineer ▁called ▁Samuel ▁Graf ▁as ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁company ' s ▁Swiss ▁affili ate ▁and ▁the ▁Saint - A ub in - S au ges ▁facility ▁was ▁re open ed . ▁ ▁However , ▁Swiss ▁production ▁came ▁to ▁an ▁end ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 9