Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - Designing and Building my own High MPG Car

sgtlethargic · 03-10-2012, 11:52 PM

I drive alone an overwhelming majority of the time; I like the idea of a single-seater. I'm planning on building one from mostly vintage car parts.

Lighter weight + smaller frontal area => better city and highway MPG. I think it'll be easier for me to lower the A value of Cd*A then the Cd value. Lowering the Cd is even better.

(14 sq ft)*(0.32) = 4.5 sq ft of drag area

The GM EV1 is 3.95 and the Honda Insight is 5.1 according to Wikipedia:
Automotive aerodynamics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you sit in the center you can be further away from the door than with a regular width car, which should offer better side-impact protection. I plan to have more of a cage, and front and rear sheet-metal to offer decent crumple zones.

03-10-2012, 11:52 PM	#40 (permalink)
sgtlethargic Master EcoModder Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Earth Posts: 632 Thanks: 28 Thanked 148 Times in 116 Posts	I drive alone an overwhelming majority of the time; I like the idea of a single-seater. I'm planning on building one from mostly vintage car parts. Lighter weight + smaller frontal area => better city and highway MPG. I think it'll be easier for me to lower the A value of CdA then the Cd value. Lowering the Cd is even better. (14 sq ft)(0.32) = 4.5 sq ft of drag area The GM EV1 is 3.95 and the Honda Insight is 5.1 according to Wikipedia: Automotive aerodynamics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia If you sit in the center you can be further away from the door than with a regular width car, which should offer better side-impact protection. I plan to have more of a cage, and front and rear sheet-metal to offer decent crumple zones.