Autospeed article: adding a chin undertray to a 1st gen Prius

[Peter7307]

The webmag "Autospeed" is aimed more at general auto information including better performance as well as better milage.
It is not a "hypermiling" focused magazine.

Pete.

[Raysp30]

Anyone have more ideas on the front wheel deflectors? Optimum shape, placement, etc?

I have a bit of styrofoam that I'll be using in mine. Once my testing is done, I'll cover the styrofoam in bondo and permanently attach it. See my post on the permanent grill block to see where I'm at now.

I'm thinking of a ramp-like shape that slopes out on the sides as well. This should move the air out to either side and down.

[MazdaMatt]

Would it be a waste of time to put a chin tray on a car higher than the bottom edge? I have installed an air dam (home depot garden edging, looks very NASCAR) on my Del Sol and I don't think i could attach a chin tray to the bottom of the garden edging. Would attaching the chin tray to the bottom of the bumper (6 inches above the chin tray) be completely useless?

[MetroMPG]

MazdaMatt: probably useless, yes. You're going to have detached, turbulent flow coming off the air dam.

Raysp30: shaped deflectors like the kind the Autospeed author tried will be better than the flat "spat" type OEM's typically use. (But more likely to be damaged on stuff inside approach angles, and harder to build).

Aero concept cars usually go with shaped deflectors, eg:

[whokilledthejams]

That's basically what I did to my xB. Combined with the grille block, I basically gained 4-5% at highway speeds. It's no 10%, but it's not too shabby.