From the side, it resembles an alien head in repose on the three wheels - a polished maroon cranium with oversized, teardrop-shaped eyes.

Tom Quinn of the Hawai'i' Electric Vehicle Demonstration Project, is showing me one of the Sunrays that are stored at the HEVDP's facility in Kaka'ako. He tugs on one "eye" and the passenger side door-window unit slides back. It used to swing open from a pivot point, Quinn tells me, but has been modified so it now glides on a metal track, identical to ones used to guide kitchen drawers.