View Single Post
Old 02-05-2010, 07:32 PM   #14 (permalink)
3-Wheeler
Master EcoModder
 
3-Wheeler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Southern WI
Posts: 827

AlienMobile - '00 Honda Insight
Team Honda
90 day: 80.05 mpg (US)
Thanks: 101
Thanked 560 Times in 191 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertSmalls View Post
...Do I want to send air over the car where there's more room for air, or under the car to fill the vacuum under the tail?...
Hi Robert,

Yes, the idea is to give the air plenty of room to expand away from the body shape as it passes through the air.

The air under the car, unfortunately gets compressed and it not allowed room to move away from the body since the road is there. This compression takes energy and creates more air drag compared to all the other outside surfaces of the shape.

My tail is planned to be 48 inches long, unless I hear back from the DOT before hand.

Metro made his tail 51 inches I believe, and his results speak for themselves.

The overall car length will still be shorter than a typical short-bed pickup in length, so I'm going to go for it, and keep the full length!!

With the tail extension, I am looking for at least 90mpg results (at my typical speed). OK, maybe throw summer temps in there as well, for good measure.

Jim.

Last edited by 3-Wheeler; 02-05-2010 at 08:47 PM..
  Reply With Quote