Hello everyone, i'm not a car or electric or mechanic engeneer, so..

I've been interested in electric cars since a couple of years, i live in italy and the price of gasoline and the density of traffic makes efficient electric cars sexy, but we're italians and we're lazy and like to enjoy things, they have to really sexy, or we won't use/buy them.

Well, apart from this, i wanted to make some points and share some things about my idea of the next vehicle i'd like (excuse my poor language/grammar)

I've read a couple of posts here and i bring back two facts:

1) Multiple source power generation (from the turbine topic) and

2) On board electric power generation via a "fuel generator" (charging car with petrol topic).

I'm not an engeneer and never did the math, so i might be wrong, but having an electric car going for a long distance (let's say a long journey here, 8h @ 100km/h) just by battery charge is not feasible. That's why they were talking about a network of recharge (or battery swapping) stations dense enough to let that be possible. Would i buy an electric car under this conditions? No. Because i don't believe the charging network density will be safe, i believe i could remain without power in a dark and cold and rainy night in a forest because i took the wrong turn with 1/3 of charge left and then got lost, so i don't feel safe. My car has a full tank range of 900km more or less, that's safe. (By the way, i am considering getting a small citycar(200km range, 80kmh, 2people, sexy, link later in the post) converted into electric, if i just could do the car papers in a reasonable time for the conversion, here in italy it's not really possible :( )

But that doesen't mean we have to trash everything. Electric motors for example are good, coz they are cheap, easy to mantain and durable. The problem is where does the electricity come from? How about we don't stress having too many batteries but keep them for a reasonable commuting use and embed then in the car (or truck or van) one or mor electric generators running on .. something.. ?

Like gasoline, like hydrogen, like gas, like biodiesel, like frying oil.

Have it modular, so we can swap our little gasoline generator with our brand new greener generator when it's gonna be available.

->Why on board energy generation : Batteries just won't last long enough to feel safe, but you can keep replenishing them as you go, if you need (or you can stop at the recharge station if can).

->Why more than one electric source: We have seen plenty of electric cars with solar panels on the roof. What if it rains and you need to go. What if it snows and you need to go. I have experience with this problem from a nautical point of view and there the medium long range cruiser has a 220v intake for when it's moored, solar panels for when there's sun, wind generator for when there's wind. What if there's a cloudy rainy no-wind day (and that's when you want power for the reading light and the radio)? Luxury boats have a gasoline el. generator.

Going back to the point, solar panels aren't enough, but they are something. 220v intake is slow but it's something. Gasoline generator sucks because we're trying to get rid of it but it's something, like a spare tire. Green generator would be better. If you put these all together and make it modular, swappable, replaceable so one can choose the best for his needs, then i think i would buy that.

I made my points, now let me share with you the car i'd like to own if i had the money and the chance to make it road legal: http://www.eurozev.org/English.htm

it's light and it has a good aerodynamic

it's everywhere in italy -> cheap spare parts

it's small -> perfect for the city

it's sexy

Hope i've been on some help, let's keep the revolution going