eration of the two-seater that will be on the road in a couple of years. At the top of the list, and the car, are transparent solar cells that utilize light-activated organic dyes to generate electricity to power the Forvision's multimedia and climate control systems, even in low light. They also act as light-emitting diodes and can illuminate both the cabin and exterior of the car. Along with the lightweight plastic wheels, body panels are made from carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resins that are 50 percent ligher than steel, and a lightweight seating foam, which is upholstered in a heated e-textile that reduces the need to use the less-efficient cabin heating system. Even when you do turn it on, infared-reflective "heat shielding" on the windows helps to keep the interior cool in bright sunshine, as does a special metallic-look paint embedded with glass flakes. The cabin itself is a futuristic take on the simple, economical design of the current Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, with oval shapes contrasting with the complex polygons that as preparedness tools for those of us who usually aren't prepared. 1. Crank Radio With all the devices I test, I find I never have enough batteries. So something that doesn't need power but lets you see in the dark and listen to radio reports is ideal. Eton's $35 American Red Cross Microlink FR160 is "self powered," by which the company means you have to crank the built-in handle to get it up and running. Once you do, there's an AM/FM radio (with NOAA weather channels), an LED flashlight, and cell phone charger. Getting the radio running only takes a couple of minutes of cranking, and it can hold rechargeable batteries or charge via a small solar panel on top. The FR160 isn't for heavy duty use, and some owners have reported problems trying to charge an iPhone with it. However, it's inexpensive and you can throw it in a drawer and forget about it--until the next emergency. 2. LED Flashlight A solid, bright, and reliable flashlight is must in a blackout. LED models take less battery power and last longer than regular bulbs. My favorite model is the Princeton Tec Torrent. At $50, the Torrent isn't cheap, but it's bright enough (95 lumens) to be the regular household flashlight, and it will last for more than a day on 8 AAA batteries. It's also waterproof (helpful in a storm) and has a locking switch so that it won't accidentally get turned on in a jammed storage bin or glove compartment and drain the batteries. 3. Lantern It's not sexy, and it isn't terribly high-tech, but if you've got to endure multiple evenings without electricity, a good lantern is invaluable. Needless to say, it's not a good idea to try to use an oil or kerosene camping lantern inside a home (especially around kids in the dark). Better is a battery-powered model like the $25 Coleman 8D Rugged Full Size Lantern. It takes 8 D-sized batteries to keep it running for up to 28 hours on its low setting (about 18 hours on high). The lantern uses two fluorescent bulbs that don't get hot (so there's no fear of fire), and it can light up a room with a m