Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - Underfloor and Body design of Greenpower Car (similar to Electrathon)

stealth · 02-19-2016, 08:07 PM

Yeah, well the hours spent is really just messing around with a variety of shapes, but with no definite answers which leaves me with no real idea of what is the ideal ground clearance and plus the software is nowhere near accurate enough to give me useful results, only useful for showing pressure areas and rough idea of the turbulence behind the car.

I'm competing in the F24+, which has the exact same technical regulations as F24 but we have shorter races with the same energy available and therefore its faster.

All of the car run with the 24V electric motor in the rear although nothing in the rules says it can't be front wheel drive but this is a complex and heavy system. The 2 x 12 V car batteries can be placed anywhere in the car as along they are 100mm or less off the ground, some cars have them in front of the feet, behind the helmet or one on each side of the driver. It all depends on the body.

Bearing in mind, the car is much smaller than a standard car, the electric motor is only 100mm in diameter and 200mm long. Some of the smallest and fastest cars only measure about 400mm high, and 570mm wide and 2.8m long and this would be including the wheels.

This is the rule on cockpit opening.

T7.4. The cockpit opening, when viewed from directly above must be able to accommodate a rectangle 600 mm in length and 350 mm wide with no intrusions, e.g. helmet fairings, instrument covers, etc. must not overhang this area. The drivers’ helmet must be positioned at the rearmost point possible of the cockpit, creating a clear space in front of the drivers’ helmet.

In terms of fabrications method and tools, the car will be mostly handmade, will probably make some moulds to form the body which might turn into a monocoque. Im open to anything, its only concept at this stage. The body design ideally should be simple so that the time spent in the manufacturing is reduced greatly. Also a possibility of some parts like jig panels etc being CNC routed locally, but will cost more.

For this kind of competition, we don't need any lift or downforce at all, all focussed on getting the lowest drag possible and I kind of think if there is any downforce or lift being exerted on the car, it's using up energy from trying to moving the car around.

I would love to do that almost three wheeler design, but the rules states that there must be 4 wheels, 500mm minimum wheel track and must be symmetric along the centreline.

I will try post some pictures of some of body designs I have come up with.

02-19-2016, 08:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
stealth EcoModding Lurker Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Cornwall, UK Posts: 18 Stealth II - '16 Stealth Racing Stealth II 90 day: 2117.65 mpg (US) Thanks: 5 Thanked 11 Times in 7 Posts	Yeah, well the hours spent is really just messing around with a variety of shapes, but with no definite answers which leaves me with no real idea of what is the ideal ground clearance and plus the software is nowhere near accurate enough to give me useful results, only useful for showing pressure areas and rough idea of the turbulence behind the car. I'm competing in the F24+, which has the exact same technical regulations as F24 but we have shorter races with the same energy available and therefore its faster. All of the car run with the 24V electric motor in the rear although nothing in the rules says it can't be front wheel drive but this is a complex and heavy system. The 2 x 12 V car batteries can be placed anywhere in the car as along they are 100mm or less off the ground, some cars have them in front of the feet, behind the helmet or one on each side of the driver. It all depends on the body. Bearing in mind, the car is much smaller than a standard car, the electric motor is only 100mm in diameter and 200mm long. Some of the smallest and fastest cars only measure about 400mm high, and 570mm wide and 2.8m long and this would be including the wheels. This is the rule on cockpit opening. T7.4. The cockpit opening, when viewed from directly above must be able to accommodate a rectangle 600 mm in length and 350 mm wide with no intrusions, e.g. helmet fairings, instrument covers, etc. must not overhang this area. The drivers’ helmet must be positioned at the rearmost point possible of the cockpit, creating a clear space in front of the drivers’ helmet. In terms of fabrications method and tools, the car will be mostly handmade, will probably make some moulds to form the body which might turn into a monocoque. Im open to anything, its only concept at this stage. The body design ideally should be simple so that the time spent in the manufacturing is reduced greatly. Also a possibility of some parts like jig panels etc being CNC routed locally, but will cost more. For this kind of competition, we don't need any lift or downforce at all, all focussed on getting the lowest drag possible and I kind of think if there is any downforce or lift being exerted on the car, it's using up energy from trying to moving the car around. I would love to do that almost three wheeler design, but the rules states that there must be 4 wheels, 500mm minimum wheel track and must be symmetric along the centreline. I will try post some pictures of some of body designs I have come up with.