I am pretty sure that this is not a new but thought I would mention it anyway. Electric cars are the way of the future for short distance driving? One thing they lack that I do not see brought up is air-condition and heating!
A "hybrid" that runs 100% electric but can make use of an engine for heating, air-conditioning and/or longer distance driving could solve this. If this engine is a stirling engine or some other type of heat engine it would be possible to re-charge while out in the middle of no-where using wood scraps on the ground! Wouldn't it be something if a wood chipper attachment was in the trunk of all "prepared" motorists? LOL
I'm thinking... how about a collapse able yet relatively large parabolic dish (relative to the size of the car) that can be setup for recharging via the sun =P. I am on a parabolic concentrator kick and think its possible to make a humongous collector using thermoformed 4x8 acrylic mirror to make sections that would piece together for a 20'+ concentrator! (of course the car model would be much smaller)
Just FYI my interest in parabolic reflectors came from the website below...
(the 2004 articles on making a parabolic dish)...
http://www.phoenixnavigation.com/ptbc/toc.htm
EDIT: Out of curiosity does anyone know how well acrylic mirror thermoforms or maybe you know a way to construct the mirrored sections.