Thread: New Aptera
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Old 12-29-2008, 05:35 PM   #21 (permalink)
cfg83
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Cd -

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cd View Post
One of the things that strikes me as genius is the way that the car does not give up its aerodynamics, yet rides very high off of the ground.

This is not only great for safety,( from jacked up SUVs crashing into you ) but it also would help to make people that are used to SUVs ( a huge percentage of the American population ) more comfortable in the car.

Anyone else feel this way ?
Yes and no. I think that before the transition to FWD, the car was even *higher* off the ground. I don't think the previous ride-height was for "rider perception" concerns. From what I have read on other Ecomodder threads, this was probably done because an "airplane cigar body shape" performs better aerodynamically when it is higher off the ground.

From the latest pictures I am seeing, I think they lowered it. This implies to me that they compromised in the name of increased safety, i.e. lower Cd in the name of lower COG (Center Of Gravity). From my POV, these are the "trade-offs" that good engineers make.

Can someone prove/disprove my perception that the current Aptera design is now lower?

CarloSW2

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