[jakobnev]

How about using (bio-)diesel to accelerate, and electricity to drive at constant speed, for either the pickup or family car? That way you could keep up with traffic despite having a smaller and cheaper electrical drive system. (and not have range anxiety as a bonus)

My solution as to controls would simply be:

1. clutch up in neutral stops the engine.
2. giving it "gas" while the engine is off gives electric push.
3. pushing down the clutch starts the engine.

And also:

4. The system is off by default and has to be activated so that a person who doesn't know
how to use it can drive like it was a normal car.

Naturally, in a city or in gridlock, you could just leave the engine off and inch the car forward with elecric only.