Quote:
Originally Posted by AeroMcAeroFace
To make things clear for everyone picking up on issues already addressed. - lift is only employed when steering angle is very small
- lift is only employed when brakes aren't applied
- lift can be cancelled out at any point
- The car is never fully off the ground
- Ride height controls the amount of lift
- Lift is only employed in a straight line at cruise
- The wheels still drive the car, because they never leave the ground
The debate is about cruise. |
The debate was about a car equipped with lift-generating device to eliminate rolling resistance losses.
So, for strictly academic debate yes, it is possible to equip a car with such a device, that will create lift under specified conditions, and stop creating lift as needed and thus eliminate rolling resistance losses.
BUT
in practice:
- you are eliminating rolling resistance losses, but adding aerodynamic lossess (control surfaces, spoilers), acceleration losses (increased mass), internal power consumption losses (add-on ECU, sensors, actuators).
No time/desire to make even back-of-the envelope calculations, but i guess net effect would be negligible. I would put my foot down, even if you were my student and proposed it as a thesis/project.
All the safety hazards are relevant too, in the final, you are about to put real, living people in - reagrdless if it is on track or street.
Would YOU sit in a car that has deliberate half-second delay imposed in steering and brakes?