Toying with some other model designs...

[Blue Bomber Man]

This design actually isn't based on the Aptera, but it looks damn close for the main body. They look similar for the same reasons that the Prius and Insight do.

Couple days ago I was toying with trying to make the roof line drop low to make a small suction area in the rear, as opposed to a normal car. I found that in order to get an acceptable slope the vehicle had to be very long to give the passengers enough head room.

Then it hit me (and I realized immediately when I did it that it made the side profile exactly like the Aptera) that by raising the rear up by just tilting the model allows for that head space. I'm guessing that is why Aptera does it too, but obviously can't say for sure.

Anyways here we are:





The photo doesn't show it, but there are two seats side by side there. As far as scale, it is about the same length and width as a Mazda Protege.

The next version will hopefully have full wheel enclosures.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

Have you looked at the Schlor Pillbug? It seated 5 or 6 people and had a Cd of just 0.13 -- better than the current Aptera.

[Blue Bomber Man]

Ya I have seen those before. The vehicle is too large for what I would want to build and would cost too much. My vehicle would still have a lower CdA even if it had a higher Cd (unless of course my Cd was quite a bit higher).

Trying to balance weight and CdA against their spiraling cost effects on materials, the drivetrain etc.

[Blue Bomber Man]

Finally figured out a good way to model the rear wheel enclosure, it's pretty close to the way I would want the final version. I also thought the Carbon Fiber looked kinda crappy, so it's switched to a brushed aluminum look for now.

[Bicycle Bob]

Raising the back to gain headroom is fine, but we can't slope the belly pan as much as the roof, because the air supply to that area is more limited, making separation more likely.

[Blue Bomber Man]

Top angle is about 12 degrees bottom is about 10.5; so ya the angles are pretty close. But the Rear wheel fills in much of that space (perhaps more I may stretch the wheel faring farther forward) and the the shape is fully tear dropping in 3d, so air should be able to fill in on the sides.

Perhaps at higher speeds it might separate but I won't know until I do some CFD analysis.

[aerohead]

Blue Bomber Man,start thinking about your body cut lines,how the canopy will open and hinge placement,potential interference,binding.It will affect your ingress/egress,where things pivot,hardpoints for support structure,collision protection,energy absorption, and all your human factors kinda stuff.Also,when you lay windscreen glass down at really radical angles you can end up with internal cabin reflections which inhibit your ability to see out.If the software will allow overlays 'n such,begin with yourself inside the car,and engineer from that point outward.And bear in mind any and every conceivable function you'll do in there,including the event of emergencies.It's quite the puzzle! Like your images!