If I were designing an Australian vehicle, I would start with a carbon fibre chassis.
Australians have poured enough millions into foreign car companies, to start up a brand new, employee operated, co-op car company! So why haven't we?
We are very inventive, and lead the world in press moulded carbon fibre? It's as simple as mixing recyclable plastic and carbon fibre, placing a set measured amount in the mould and then applying pressure.
One standard chassis could serve as the multi-purpose basis of a extremely rugged, durable hybrid car, Ute or station wagon.
The paint job could be an Australian invented polymer that functions as a photovoltaic system, that even charges in extremely low light!
The principle power plant could be a CNG powered, ceramic fuel cell or, Sarich orbital engine alternator combo, which would power all the inboard amenities, air-conditioning etc, and drive all the wheels via sealed induction engines, inside all four/six/eight wheels?
The transmission tunnel could remain, to serve as the extra CNG/fuel storage space we'd then need.
Fireproof, bullet proof, explosion resistant, aluminium lined polycarbonate fuel tanks, would likely be strong enough, to stand up to the considerable pressures required.
Most of the body could also be lightweight, mass produced press moulded carbon fibre, with hail/bullet proof/explosion resistant polycarbonate/acrylics, replacing glass?
[The deepest diving sub ever created, more Aussie innovation, is created out of similar materials!]
I would favour a simple endlessly attractive wedge shape, which would provide both wind cheating aerodynamics and down-force that increases with speed?
Necessary in such a lightweight vehicle.
A similar system could power/stop powered trailers built out of similar materials and possibly capable of transporting a standard shipping container, if a similar CNG powered dolly, was included up front?
Imagine a future where the family wagon could be hitched to a dolly, with the combination then being capable of drawing a plough or a harvester etc/etc. We could probably sell all we could produce in and around Asia? Particularly, if the then economies of scale and automated production, makes the price structure more than competitive!
Rhrosty

I note all the discussion about alternatives, I agree that where possible we need to look to alternatives to current mainstream energy systems, they all pollute to some degree.

The most simple solution I see is for everyone, individuals, business, industry and governments to push for efficiency in all activities 'we' undertake.

When I drive around Perth at night I note the amount of lighting in houses, most houses with nearly every light on, multiple TV's and other gadgets running, most people I know have more than one fridge and despite the West's pretty temperate climate, they all seem too lazy to use a washing line and revert to using an electrically guzzling dryer.

I think people have gotten lazy, many live less than a kilometre from shops yet insist on driving, last time I looked walking was quite good for one's health, and yes I do acknowledge bringing home a weeks shopping is not feasible if one walks.

I think there are many ways we can curb energy use, the responsibility starts with the individual and education is a key. Market forces (70% electrical energy cost increases in 5 years) would be enough to drive some of this rational solution, but alas so many fail to grasp the most simple of actions, try turning a light off when leaving a room.

Big business will continue to exploit each and every opportunity to make money from energy, it is up to us to dampen demand and to also lobby government (little hope there I guess) to retain as much of our energy supply on a national security and societal longevity based approach.

Pretty simple really.

Where did you get that lot Rhrosty? It is airy fairy enough to be from a green policy document.

Of course there is enough bull dust in there for it to be a Labor act of parliament. There would be enough financial & technical catastrophes involved in such a program, for it to fit in with most of their others. That goes double for those "assisted" by green ideas.

Please advise me which recyclable plastic you could use to make a carbon fiber matrix. Thermoset plastics are used in these things. Even thermo plastics are not practically recyclable once contaminated with fiber, carbon or otherwise.

Then explain why a company like Honda, renowned for its technical brilliance can not, even after spending millions, get a working fuel cell. Perhaps they should have asked Bob Brown, or one of his lady replacements how to do it. I'm sure they know.

It will be interesting to hear if you can get your much higher speed limits approved. The ones that can make any aerodynamic down force available from your wedge. Incidentally the F1 Brabham I won the Bathurst 100 in weighed 1100Lbs, & did not need down force for it's 100MPH lap speed, or its 170+ MPH top speed. Weight does not improve road holding.

I could go on, but where to stop. As I advised before, please do get some understanding of a subject, before posting this rubbish. It is just like the global warming fraud. Some of this stuff has been found wanting, for anything but very high end sports cars, proven to be impractical, & the rest is pixie dust.

And yet another nail in the coffin for 'wind energy' -- power cut-outs are damaging equipment in German factories:

"Sudden fluctuations in Germany's power grid are causing major damage to a number of industrial companies. While many of them have responded by getting their own power generators and regulators to help minimize the risks, they warn that companies might be forced to leave if the government doesn't deal with the issues fast....

The problem is that wind and solar farms just don't deliver the same amount of continuous electricity compared with nuclear and gas-fired power plants. To match traditional energy sources, grid operators must be able to exactly predict how strong the wind will blow or the sun will shine."

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/instability-in-power-grid-comes-at-high-cost-for-german-industry-a-850419.html

Maybe the same models that they use to predict AGW can be used to predict that too...