|
A major problem with stability is that a streamlined shape of constant density will have the center of pressure, or lift, ahead of the center of gravity, so it naturally wants to tumble. Aircraft have enough tail to balance the fuselage, plus a bit to reduce the workload in the cockpit, but not not so much so that you can't control a side-slip for a quick descent. Taxing in a crosswind stalls both shapes, changing the balance.
A car is usually analogous to an aircraft fuselage missing both tail and fin, so adding a tail should help bring the cg and cp together.
The BAT cars were highly experimental. The fins work as ducting to allow a more abrupt afterbody between them, and to increase surface area, thus adding energy to the boundary layer without using turbulence.
|