Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > EcoModding Central
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 08-04-2008, 04:34 PM   #1 (permalink)
EcoModding Lurker
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: New York
Posts: 44

Crappy Gas Pipe - '84 Mercedes 300D Turbo 230k Miles
Thanks: 1
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Most efficient color car

Whats the fastest color? I know from being a sailor a white sail is better because wind hits the sail and not the heat radiating from a dark sail. Maybe with cars it may be better to have heat surronding the car. (Free wind deflector) Not looking to go fast just get better MPGs.

  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 08-04-2008, 04:39 PM   #2 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
I think light colours' main advantage on cars would be reduced A/C use more than anything else. Interesting thought though.

If we were going to take a page from aircraft building, we wouldn't paint the cars at all - to save weight!

OT: I recently saw a program about a large, water jet-drive catamaran built in Australia, and if I recall correctly they saved thousands of pounds by not painting everything. (Yes, I realize cars aren't as big as ferry boats.)
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2008, 04:41 PM   #3 (permalink)
Master Novice
 
elhigh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SE USA - East Tennessee
Posts: 2,314

Josie - '87 Toyota Pickup
90 day: 40.02 mpg (US)

Felicia - '09 Toyota Prius Base
90 day: 49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 427
Thanked 616 Times in 450 Posts
White up front, black toward the rear.
__________________




Lead or follow. Either is fine.
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2008, 04:47 PM   #4 (permalink)
Mr. Blue Tape
 
azraelswrd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 345

AzxA - '06 Scion xA
90 day: 42.72 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
I suspect there's not much difference at conventional road speeds for cars. When I look at a NASCAR track and see the entire spectrum of colors on everything -- makes me think that since they're not all just a few colors, there is probably no edge to just a few colors.

But in theory darker colors should absorb more energy, translate that into heat, transferring part of that energy back to the air and decreasing the air density... sounds pretty small though.
__________________


My 5 pillars of fuel efficiency:
  • driving style
  • aerodynamics
  • tires
  • weight reduction
  • engine maintenance
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2008, 05:04 PM   #5 (permalink)
Pokémoderator
 
cfg83's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,864

1999 Saturn SW2 - '99 Saturn SW2 Wagon
Team Saturn
90 day: 40.49 mpg (US)
Thanks: 439
Thanked 530 Times in 356 Posts
Hello -

I was thinking a black hood might help keep the engine hotter, especially in more northern climates.

I prefer white overall.

CarloSW2
__________________

What's your EPA MPG? Go Here and find out!
American Solar Energy Society
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2008, 07:22 PM   #6 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Fontana, CA
Posts: 167

Red Egg - '95 Ford Aspire
90 day: 38.51 mpg (US)

Dodge SRT-4 - '04 Dodge Neon SRT-4 2.4L Turbo
90 day: 26.24 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
i would say a white car with a dark hood, along with illegal tint on the windsheild would be marginally better. White car absorbs less overall heat, windsheild has a large surface area that people generally do not tint. The dark hood would make the car warm up slightly faster to get to operating temps.

yeah what he said.
__________________
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2008, 07:13 AM   #7 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Briggsdale, Colorado
Posts: 296

Wildfire - '96 Ford Bronco XL
90 day: 14.88 mpg (US)

Blackford - '96 Ford Bronco XLT
90 day: 20.26 mpg (US)

Y2k - '00 Honda Insight
Gen-1 Insights
Team Honda
90 day: 73.98 mpg (US)

Redford V10 - '01 Ford F250 Lariat
90 day: 15.64 mpg (US)

FireFly - '00 Honda Insight DX
90 day: 69.43 mpg (US)

LittleRed - '00 Honda Insight
Thanks: 3
Thanked 31 Times in 14 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by elhigh View Post
White up front, black toward the rear.
Interesting thought. The black would heat up and act to push the car. Maybe installing a clear kammelback would help direct this heat exhaust (thrust) out the back...
__________________
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2008, 08:24 AM   #8 (permalink)
Interested Newbie
 
Katana's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Bournemouth, England
Posts: 83

Silver Citroen Saxo - '02 Citroen Saxo 1.4i Furio
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I do remember Mythbusters doing some tests on how hot different colour cars get, some colours did seem to trap the heat more from what i remember, i looked on the site and it seems they did in episode 38, but i can't find a site to tell me the outcome of the experiment.
__________________
Crooked toothed, tea swilling crumpet eater!
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2008, 09:34 AM   #9 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
tasdrouille's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mirabel, QC
Posts: 1,672

The Guzzler - '08 Hyundai Elantra GL
90 day: 33.12 mpg (US)

Got Soul? - '11 Kia Soul 2U
Thanks: 35
Thanked 86 Times in 57 Posts
For me around here it's any dark color, but preferably black. They dry up faster under the sun, so they are less prone to rust than a white car for example.
__________________



www.HyperKilometreur.com - Quand chaque goutte compte...
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2008, 10:20 AM   #10 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: belgium
Posts: 663

vectra a - '95 Opel Vectra GLS
90 day: 37.51 mpg (US)
Thanks: 14
Thanked 61 Times in 44 Posts
you could have a white engine bay with a black hood, that would promote faster warmups in summer, the hood absorbing heat and the walls of the bay radiating it back inwards.
or a black engine bay and a white hood to promote better heat transfer out of the engine bay and therefore allow more grillblock in summer...

far fetched perhaps though

__________________
aerˇoˇdyˇnamˇics: the science of passing gass

*i can coast for miles and miles and miles*
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Top 5 most fuel efficient tires (Lowest Rolling resistance: LRR) blackjackel General Efficiency Discussion 144 01-25-2016 11:39 PM
eta: super efficient 3 wheeled car (project thread) eta EcoModding Central 76 02-18-2014 11:02 AM
Teaching Efficient Driving in School 93DelSol Hypermiling / EcoDriver's Ed 17 06-05-2010 09:49 PM
Looking for a fuel efficient solution. I've got a few ideas. CuriousOne EcoModding Central 41 03-28-2009 02:46 PM
Looking for a car (more efficient than my Taurus) Sean T. Introductions 8 04-04-2008 10:06 PM



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com