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Old 11-09-2012, 08:57 AM   #180 (permalink)
NeilBlanchard
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The ICE powered VLC that won the X-Prize has the cooling exhaust out the central tail fascia. The VLCe obviously does not need very much cooling.

The trailing edges of the rear fenders are the taillights.

They started out intending to design a "power agnostic" car, and they did end up with a very, very efficient chassis; with low aerodynamic drag and low weight. But, it was designed then for an ICE power plant. The cooling intakes (the NACA inlets) are a carryover; and I don't know where the battery pack is located. Electric motors are relatively small and easy enough to locate, but locating the battery pack is something you need to start out to solve first and foremost in the design process.

The VLCe is an amazingly efficient car, and it seats four people. It shows what is possible, and it shows that the car itself is the most important thing. The power plant is very important, but if the chassis is ordinary, then you can't have a very efficient car.
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