Note to automakers: cars of the future are meant to be fierce. Sure, they may get the equivalent of 100mpg through electric efficiency, but they'd better look like they can decapitate onlookers during the morning commute. This new solar vehicle (that's still missing a sexy name) may be by the makers of champion solar race cars, but it looks like a jerky golf cart. Then again, any car capable of 44mph speeds for three hours at a time—that runs on nothing but the sun—has our ears perked.
Designed for the streets of Taiwan, the car uses a airplane-grade Nomex honeycomb body that makes it just 550lbs with seats. The light weight brings efficiency, so much so, in fact, that the developers claim that the car just needs a few hours of sunlight to recharge its batteries for another 3 hours of driving. But we'll admit it—with a solar panel that tiny on top of the car, we can't help but be a little skeptical about that figure.
Then again, for its groundbreakingly low $24,600 price tag, we'll be willing to give it a chance over this more expensive, equally hideous alternative. [taipeitimes via treehugger]