Replying to someone I suggested some of my designs and I was asked to open a topic related to this so questions will be asked and answers will follow. I will start with the latest design:
1. Project Bullet. When I was young(er) the Sailplane IS 28B2 was part of my life. From that time I fall for the shape of the cockpit. Was a two seater. Was a good start for a energy rational car.
Then I had a problem with the aesthetics of the area where the wings are attached to the fuselage and also with the poor stability of a three wheels car. The solution I had in my head was to integrate 2 10 HP electrical engine in the rear wheels hub and use a diesel generator. No large capacity battery, they cannot store (imho) sufficient energy. I need at lease 70 km daily autonomy. So the look become:
Obviously the direction is controlled by stick and pedals for throttle and brake.
2. The same idea of tandem car, but with a touch of more automotive than aeronautical style:
3. The third idea was a tentative to refine an older design Severe wheels fairings, Two side by side car with an ope-able cockpit in the same style like Striling Nova kit car. ( The front wiper parked in the center of the windshield and a-pillars moved rearwards to improve visibility. A huge diffuser on the rear: The Perspective view looks really bad (is an isometric) so ...The initial idea was:
4. Another design was done to participate on Peugeot design contest. It was not even between first 30. In fact I admit the art is poor in this design.
I noticed that for this kind of contests the concept doesn't have to be really a car, no practical constraints to be taken in consideration, but a lot of imagination. I am too much an engineer.... The idea was to position the seats in a way, than if not necessary two of them to be covered by an alternative body, like a module and leave a tandem disposition for two seats. The reason is clear, to reduce the frontal area.. The same big diffuser and glass roof.
It's interesting that the rear wheels are mounted to the original wing root. Is there additional internal structure to carry the front wheels? If you used double I-beam front axles it would cut the interference drag between the front wheels in half. The front axle could be the front half of an airfoil, and the back axle would be the 'boat-tail'.
Some where on my hard drive I have pictures of a trike that uses a sail-plane canopy. It was parked in a short driveway in front of an open garage door. I saw them again recently and put them somewhere I'd be able to find them again. Ha! Maybe in the time this thread is alive.
I (like many others) have thought about a light vehicle design. I put some thoughts into a thread about cabin rollers. More of a historical review, it doesn't have my own designs. It's at: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...itt-24546.html
My own design is based on the Edison VLC and a steel VW Beetle body:
A good effort. As for the others, I like:
Last edited by freebeard; 03-04-2013 at 06:15 PM..
That glider is an all metal one. There is a metal frame in the cockpit to link the front wheel suspension. I don't know if the existing structure has to be reinforced or not to accept the front wheels.
For a while I was trying out a new Tatra design and was going to do it as an independent study in senior year. Have a 1/64 plaster model 75% finished. Never really came to anything.
I liked that one, maybe it's the colors? "Never really came to anything." ...Yet. What makes it hard now is you're competing with Elio Motors and their $6800 price point. So how do you get vBulletin to serve a half sized picture without the resize banner at the top?
calfianu -- There was EV concept (I think from Japan) that they needed to add side impact protection to, with no space to spare on the inside. So they made raised blisters that ran the length of the door. You might be able to do something similar with the front suspension hard points. It would look less odd than having them on the doors.
I hope to build it someday. Either in college or afterwards. Just depends on time and money. I'd like to start my own car company someday too, but that's a whole different story.
The angles are all based on the template, but I have yet to line up the new template. The new one might make the vehicle more visually appealing.
There is room above the engine for cargo, and it can easily be extended to make it a tandem seater , I just planned on trying to keep my costs as low as possible. I'd like to make the whole rear end of the vehicle modular, or at least the drive train so that it's super easy to work on and you can switch power sources easy.
__________________
Aerospace Controls Engineer.
Currently driving a mostly stock 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage DE hatchback.
Calin, in this forum more than one person may suggest that your cars need to be turned 180 degrees because they may fit the "template" better backwards.
Some will say these things out of habit and not based on any observation.
Take it all with a grain of salt, and try to stay open minded.
__________________ George Architect, Artist and Designer of Objects
2012 Infiniti G37X Coupe
1977 Porsche 911s Targa
1998 Chevy S-10 Pick-Up truck
1989 Scat II HP Hovercraft
I like this design the best. It seems like it would have the lowest Cd of your designs and looks like a practical 2 seater car. Although, if it's going to be 2 seats, you might as well just make it tandem. either way,
__________________
Aerospace Controls Engineer.
Currently driving a mostly stock 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage DE hatchback.
The Following User Says Thank You to HydroJim For This Useful Post:
I often look to sailplanes for design idea's,love your design's.Let's hope the VW XL1 goes into production and makes it to American,I think it will forever change the way we look at cars.I think even the people that hate change,will embrace 200 plus mpg USA 1 Litres/100Km, if sales are really good,other's will follow.Driving to LA from NY for 50 plus US dollars,excites me.
I liked that one, maybe it's the colors? "Never really came to anything." ...Yet. What makes it hard now is you're competing with Elio Motors and their $6800 price point. So how do you get vBulletin to serve a half sized picture without the resize banner at the top?
I lost interest is what happened. Bought the Probe, started modding that and forgot about the Tatra. I'm going to be narcissistic here and will say that the purple one will look ten times better than any three wheel kit car on the market. If I end up making it. It really depends on whether GM hires me on direct, which could mean buying a house (room to build things), leasing a Chevy Spark EV, or both.
The sizing thing is in Flickr. On the top of each photo is a "Share" drop-down menu. You click "Grab HTML/BBCode", check the BBCode box for forums, and copy/paste the text. That's one reason I like Flickr enough to pay for a Pro account. Anyway...
Some college things I forgot to mention. The dumpy looking senior project to design a "muscle" Can-Am Spyder. I went for a Bonneville look with faired fore-body and covered wheels.
LOL, here's my first semester freshman studio project. Supposed to be a VW HotWheels car... before I knew much about aero FDE Wagen by Tyler Linner, on Flickr
A couple fast-looking Citroen DS studies... pardon the distracting orange background.
Severe wheels fairings, Two side by side car with an ope-able cockpit in the same style like Striling Nova kit car. (
The front wiper parked in the center of the windshield and a-pillars moved rearwards to improve visibility. A huge diffuser on the rear: 
The Perspective view looks really bad (is an isometric) so ...The initial idea was: 
. The same big diffuser 
and glass roof. 
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So how do you get vBulletin to serve a half sized picture without the resize banner at the top?
