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Old 08-13-2015, 08:10 AM   #22 (permalink)
Fat Charlie
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Route 16
Posts: 4,150

Al the Third, year four - '13 Honda Fit Base
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Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5 View Post
You don't need aerodynamics for a storage unit.

I suggest getting rid of junk instead of storing it, and camping or getting a motel instead of bringing your house with you on your travels.
Yep.

Overall, its purpose is to be a cavernous space, the exact opposite of aero efficiency. Making it less so is too much of a design compromise- to succeed in that at all, you need either a tent in the trunk or a smaller "as much volume as I can cram onto this size frame." My compromise is a pop-up, but if you want more space you have to accept horrible mpg. Accessories need to be modular- AC systems and the like. Camper manufacturers aren't AC manufacturers, and cost & effectiveness are more important to camper companies and buyers than incremental decreases in drag.

Of course, if it were mostly about driving then you'd have a tent in the trunk. Campers are about how much space you have when you're parked, how much choice you have in parking spots and how quick/easy it is to set up once you park. Mod away to snag an extra mpg or two (huge % bump!), but they're not going to design one from the ground up for aero. Well, they already have, and those are the tiny ones.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sheepdog44 View Post
Transmission type Efficiency
Manual neutral engine off.100% @MPG <----- Fun Fact.
Manual 1:1 gear ratio .......98%
CVT belt ............................88%
Automatic .........................86%

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