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Old 04-13-2012, 12:09 PM   #152 (permalink)
NeilBlanchard
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Here's a new video with a long interview with Oliver Kuttner and Ron Mathis. Go here: Charlottesville Inside-Out: LOOK3 Festival of the Photograph; Edison2 | ideastations.org click on the video, then click below on the Edison2 car, then go to 17:30 for good view on VLC 4.0 The whole interview is great though.




There is a lot of new info to chew on. I'm wondering if the front wheel fairings are now fixed; since the headlights are on them, and hinging them would either open up large gaps or there would have to have telescoping panels or flexible material to allow for the pivot? They could have hinged panels on the outside?

Yep, with both the mirrors and the headlights on the front wheel fairings, I'm pretty sure it means that they are fixed. The circular panel over the front wheel must then be pivoting. (Not unlike CarBEN...)

I also wonder about the front suspension -- the unique need to reinvent it may no longer be needed. At the very least, the front structure can now be much simpler -- it was a large diameter, long aluminum tube. But now that the front fenders are joined to the main chassis with a much broader shell, it could easily become small diameter steel tube frame. Which will be much lower cost and stronger.

If a more conventional front suspension could be used, then the VLC *could* have front wheel drive, which would be much better for an electric drivetrain, since you can then get much better regenerative braking.
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