I keep a Sofirn 2 AA light, a cheap 3 AAA headlight, a 3 D cell maglite, and a 12v spotlight with the cable in my car. The maglite is something I have left over from decades ago and I figured I might as well leave it in the car. I have primary lithium batteries in the AA and AAA lights and also spare enloops in a plastic bag.
That’s on top of an Olight AAA light on the car key ring and a Convoy S2 that I normally carry.
I keep one of these in my car. Cheap & quite good for close up use.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32833798268.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dzIGuhg
I switched from CR123 lights to AA lights running L91 cells in my trucks a couple years ago. No real reason other than I prefer a little larger form factor in my vehicles (easier to find, harder to lose, etc). Running a 5.11 XBT A6 in one truck which I am EXTREMELY happy with. Runs two parallel stacks of 3AA cells so it can run either 6AA or 3AA plus gobs of throw. I have a Coast HP14 in the other which is OK but I wouldn’t re-purchase. Not as bright as others out there, goofy zoomie head and worst yet the switch has been somewhat unreliable.
Since you are talking about CR123 lights I’ll tell you what I have run in the past and thats Surefire G2 lights. I actually really liked the old G2 incan I had in my glovebox for years. Surely those 65 lumens were Surefire lumens because the bang thing never let me down! I also have a G2L-FY which has the 120lm head. Obviously dated but they were both great in their day. I do like the 2-mode (Police model?) G2X I have that starts on high with a clicky tailcap.
If I was going to put a modern CR123 light in the truck it would be something like the Streamlight Polytac HP or the Lumensfactory Seraph 9 with or without Turbo head. I have a 3-cell Streamlight Protac iHL 3 in the gun cabinet which would be ideal as well. Right now I’m looking to buy or build a 4-cr123 compatible p60 module to use in a old Cabelas XPG host; just not sure how hard I can push it in the plastic host.
My goals with a truck light is to be able to spot addresses, scope out camping sites in state forests and other longer range tasks. It also has to have longer runtime options to allow for emergency use in roadside repair or other extended situations. Wonderful age in lighting, today. Many, many top notch options!
EDIT: I didn’t think of this until now, but when I paid-on-call fire I carried my Streamlight Survivor (LED) on my turn outs and used it often when working downed lines and such. Not the highest lumens compared to other lights but great LUX. Very useful that you could leave it on the 12v charging cradle, though that would be less useful for many people.
If only the Z1 would have onboard charging…
I’m happy with the Sofirn SP32v2.
Well-rounded, very flexible, and can take CR123s if it sits in the car, or 18650s when it doesn’t.
I have a Rayovac Indestructible 2xAA and an Ultratac A1 with Ultimate Lithiums in both of them in my console. The Ultratac for the lower modes and floodier beam, and the larger Rayovac for a throwier beam. I don’t want to keep any of the good stuff in the car.
I use Zanflare F2 with white eneloops and a blister of 6 alkaleaks for emergencies.
Wowtac A1S. It doesn’t have moonlight but it’s got a reasonable low and over 1000 lms on high. Reliable and not afraid to get dirty. It’s too big for me to EDC so it sits in the vehicle as a work light. I would certainly rely on it on in an emergency kit in the car. And it’s been $26 on Amazon.com now for quite a few months. The Convoy S2+ would work equally as well as an emergency kit light packed away in a car.
Maybe I am too old fashioned, but still keep a few pcs of Sipik SK68 with Energizer AA Lithium inside. Cheap and simple for emergency light (the one you need from never to once in 10 yrs)
The cars are where I put all those $10 S2+ with the horrible tints that I have too many of.
I also have a SK68 in each car, but with a LSD NiMH AA inside and a pair of alkaleaks in a zip lock bag as backup. They also have a white plastic cap fitted as diffuser to make them more useful for short range work.
This is cheap, durable and multipurpose:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DLXSKG5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_7wDXDb6ABFJQ6
Used it the other night and white COB on low was sufficient for working under the hood. Normally keep Li primaries in it.
I also recommend having a headlamp and the Boruit RJ-02 worked perfect the other night. The IR switch is great and I keep a Samsung 28A pack pull cell in it but rotate the battery with its pack family. I find that no battery box on the back is a real plus when I get under the vehicle.