Quote:
Originally Posted by 4536
Aerohead:
Wow, glad you and the trailer survived. Hope you have the energy to complete the project with the gap fillers as it is a great looking trailer and already a success.
I'm into a similar project and can't tell you how much your posts on this and other threads have ment to me. I'm fairly new to the website and will post some info on my project when I figure out the appropriate way to do that.
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I'm not sure how the trailer will play out utility wise.It could do as telescoping travel trailer for a young couple as this is how I'll use mine ( minus the 'young').
The idea is more for an EV range-extender,which would lower drag such that the tow vehicle wold see a 'gain' just by pulling it,then,with either extra batteries,or an on-board gen-set,the trailer could export power forward to extend the range of a plug-in electric vehicle pulling it.Making out of town excursions possible maybe for the first time.
I have such limited data from the attempted test but considering the weight,weather and velocity,without the gap-fillers,the truck/trailer appears to have a composite drag coefficient on the order of 0.15.No change to frontal area.The drag reduction is overshadowing the drag increase due to the extra axle set;it'e rolling resistance and mass.
The gap-fillers should push that to Cd 0.12 territory,and with that,I really do believe it will make a 'showing' at the pump.
When I made my emergency trip to Phoenix I monitored my mileage for the same upleg as with the trailer,and came in within 1-mpg.If the gap-fillers cut drag the 20% as Hucho's book suggests they will,it looks like it will be a no-brainer to get better mpg with the trailer than without ( highway only of course ).
Keep us posted on your progress.I don't think you'll regret the project.
A real world vehicle with the Cd of GM's Sunraycer should be pretty humiliating to the average gas pump.