Botsapper,
Thanks for posting this. As a Prius driver, I find it mildly interesting and
maddeningly misleading.
In almost two years on the 'net, I've not seen anyone provide empiracal data
showing that they have significantly improved the Prius' very low Cd of .026
with after market body mod kits. Some adventuresome Prianistas have
recreated mods seen on Bonneville salt racers with some small MPG gains.
Those mods would be racing discs on the wheels, removing the side mirrors,
and maybe rear wheel skirts. Beyond adding these few mods and a custom,
one-off boat tail, nobody has provided reproducible methodology or hard
data that shows that body kits like this improve a Prius' aerodynamics.
[EDIT: There is a record holding Prius salt flat racer. It is lowered and super
clean. I looks nothing like the purported "aero" body kits:
Landspeed Prius Races Across Bonneville Salt Flats and: ]
From the article:
"Going 'green' doesn't necessarily mean that your car has to look more
boring than a Tupperware collection..."
The emphasis is on looks, not aerodynamics at all. There are no
claims that the package in any way makes the car more clean or
increases MPGs. It doesn't make any claims, and it doesn't provide any
supporting data. In fact there is only one indirect reference to anything
even remotely suggesting aerodynamics:
"According to Tommy Kaira, the aero packages will be combined with
a lowering kit and chunky 18-inch alloy wheels shod in 215/40 R18
tires that will be offered in various designs."
You can't even say for sure that "aero" means aerodynamic. Its an
"aero package" whatever that means.
Again, with respect to anything aerodynamic, this is nothing more than
hip, hop, and hype.
Simply put, this is a styling package.