Generally a lighter or smaller vehicle can hold less passengers and in most cases, does not offer the safety of a larger vehicle. Solar panels have been used to recharge electric vehicles, though there is not enough energy from sun light per square foot to directly propel a conventional 2500 pound car. It is possible to slowly store solar energy in the batteries to allow the car to move for a limited time. Electric vehicles offer a unique driving experience. With their low center of gravity, most electric cars, offer superb handling as well as rapid initial acceleration.
Electric motors offer almost continuous torque even at lower speeds.
This allows a vehicle to do things that conventional fossil fuels vehicles can not do. For example, if you were to drive up to a street curb with a conventional gasoline powered car, stop and then try to climb the curb, you would have to rev up the motor and only then would you be able to drive over the curb. With an electric vehicle, you would be able to climb the curb with out any real effort. Today, most railroads around the world use diesel electric locomotives with the diesel engine generating the electricity to power the electric motors which actually turns the wheels. American military tanks use the same technique.