Aggressive aero-kit for...Prius???!!!

[botsapper]

I've been kinda waiting for this & ... s*** happens. The overwrought (electric rice cooker) cliches applied to the wrong car. Quad tips, 18" wheels & 40 series rubber, to name a few. The recent Ford ,Holden, & Toyota Aurion designs have those black goth eyeliner corner lamps. Watch out Honda (Insight)!, another slammed Civic gohan burner will be coming around the corner, waiting for a 1/8 mile extension cord drag race.

I am still waiting for 'true' aero tuning parts to come from the aftermarket. The hybrid vehicle market is maturing to a point were aero-green enthusiasts are craving for effective customizing solutions. Ecomodders, notwitstanding, I would like to see a more polished effort from SEMA designers. Meanwhile there is a treasure trove of ideas just in this 'backyard garage' community.

TOMMYKAIRA Developing Aggressive Aero Kits for 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid - Carscoop

[vielecustoms]

honestly, I am surprised there has not been more effort by the aftermarket to improve the looks of the prius and hybrids in general.. don't get me wrong getting good gas mileage is fantastic, and I love all the tech. but do they all have to look the same? I like old insight it was cool, different and it does not look like a chop top minivan.

[Matt Herring]

There are several Prius aero kits available that actually improve aero and are not just for aesthetics. However, most can be easily self-modded for a fraction of the price.

Here's one...

Toyota Prius - Prius Aero Kit - Prius Aero Kit - Wheel Skirts, Hub Caps and Grille Block 7pc by Hybrid Effects

[Rokeby]

Botsapper,

Thanks for posting this. As a Prius driver, I find it mildly interesting and
maddeningly misleading.

In almost two years on the 'net, I've not seen anyone provide empiracal data
showing that they have significantly improved the Prius' very low Cd of .026
with after market body mod kits. Some adventuresome Prianistas have
recreated mods seen on Bonneville salt racers with some small MPG gains.
Those mods would be racing discs on the wheels, removing the side mirrors,
and maybe rear wheel skirts. Beyond adding these few mods and a custom,
one-off boat tail, nobody has provided reproducible methodology or hard
data that shows that body kits like this improve a Prius' aerodynamics.

[EDIT: There is a record holding Prius salt flat racer. It is lowered and super
clean. I looks nothing like the purported "aero" body kits:
Landspeed Prius Races Across Bonneville Salt Flats and: ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjKntmE4jlA

From the article:

"Going 'green' doesn't necessarily mean that your car has to look more
boring than a Tupperware collection..."

The emphasis is on looks, not aerodynamics at all. There are no
claims that the package in any way makes the car more clean or
increases MPGs. It doesn't make any claims, and it doesn't provide any
supporting data. In fact there is only one indirect reference to anything
even remotely suggesting aerodynamics:

"According to Tommy Kaira, the aero packages will be combined with
a lowering kit and chunky 18-inch alloy wheels shod in 215/40 R18
tires that will be offered in various designs."

You can't even say for sure that "aero" means aerodynamic. Its an
"aero package" whatever that means.

Again, with respect to anything aerodynamic, this is nothing more than
hip, hop, and hype.

Simply put, this is a styling package.

[bennelson]

A Prius with four tailpipes is just plain wrong.

We need less tailpipes, not more!

I have always found it interesting that the Prius has no "cut-away" in the bumper around the tailpipe - making it look less like there is a tailpipe there at all!

[my first gmc]

That prius is f****** awesome! Love how low it is.

[Christ]

Ok, so I feel like I need to interject here.

Once again, there is this inherent vocabulary problem with the word "Aerodynamic". To straighten it out, I'll introduce the idea that "aerodynamic" doesn't necessarily mean "less draggy" or "lower Cd", it means exactly what it says - Aerodynamic.

Whatever part is labeled as aerodynamic (typically) is designed to alter the aero characteristics of whatever it's being installed on, be it for one reason or another, to a specific end, but not necessarily the end we're headed for.

Increasing negative lift on a vehicle is often a highly desired modification... aero kits can do this - by making the vehicle more "aerodynamic".

It's not a buzz word, or any incorrect sense of usage, it's that people are being narrow about terminology in general. To say that something is "efficient" doesn't necessarily mean it gets great gas mileage, right?

So to say something like "It's not aero because it doesn't improve the Cd..." is just a fallacy.

[gone-ot]

...the Prius 'aero' wheel covers "come with four tapes" is interesting! Velcro to the rescue!

[QuickLTD]

Look at the A-pillars and the clear hub caps.
From;
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/toyota/...s-ar81168.html


"Five Axis Design created a four-piece Aero Kit using polyurethane and partially recycled materials manufactured by 3D Carbon. The kit includes a front lip spoiler, side skirts, and a rear lower valance. The Aero Kit was designed and aerodynamically tested by using state-of-the-art Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software by Swift Engineering to ensure the kit maintained the Prius’ remarkable 0.25 coefficient of drag".

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

They could have added an upper grill block and a partial lower grill block...