Venturi showed off its new self-powered car, the Venturi Eclectic, at the Paris Motor Show (which runs through October 15th). The Eclectic is an "autonomous energy vehicle," powered independently of any natural energy reserves. It runs on a small 22-hp electric motor charged by solar cells or wind turbines; it's equipped with NiMH (NIV-7) batteries that are liquid-cooled.

The Eclectic's funky design resembles a golf buggy or a souped-up horse carriage more than a conventional car. It has a range of 50 km (about 31 miles) on one charge, and reaches an electrically restricted top speed of 50 kmh (about 31 mph).

The vehicle's roof is covered with 2.5 square meters of solar cells and an integrated wind-turbine, which allows the car to recharge while standing idle. The share of solar recharging is approximately 7 km (4.3 miles) per day of exposure. In the absence of sunlight, the Eclectic can drive on wind power alone for 15 km (9.3 miles) after a full day of charging. If all else fails, you can still plug the Eclectic in at home and charge it from a standard connection. The Eclectic goes into production next summer and will sell for 24,000 euros, or around $30,486.

To read more about the Paris Motor Show, click here.