Aerodynamically optimized car hubcap

[Vekke]

Hi,

I am designing my own hubcap (again ) model with normal fastening method with the steel metal ring...
https://youtu.be/X9s3MwhDZMo

What do you think of the design and would you buy it for 40€ or $ per set of 4 wheelcovers?
Would you be interested to make preorder at some price?
What you think about the design?

The other model you see on the video has the smallest holes I have found if you do not count the steel mooneys which dont have any holes.

These will lower yours cars drag coefficient 0.015-0.028 units is my estimation based on aerodynamic studies others have made on the same topic.

If many people are intersted I will make a separate thread to the For sale section. At the moment this is just about playing the idea how aerodynamic wheels should look like and be.

I am also thinking the other fastening methods, but the design would still look pretty much the same.

Sorry about the colors on the video its still a prototype and I am trying to figure out is there any sense to make the investment which will be quite big.

[Ecky]

Two of most aerodynamic cars are the Honda Insight and VW XL-1. Their wheels are basically smooth discs with small vents at the edges for brake cooling. I feel a hubcap of similar design would be pretty effective.



Forum member vman455 took this picture:



I don't personally need and hubcaps, as all of my vehicles have alloy wheels already. I'd put a set on my work van but I don't know if my boss would go for it.

[freebeard]

What do you think of the design and would you buy it for 40€ or $ per set of 4 wheelcovers?
Would you be interested to make preorder at some price?

The price sounds good but the shipping would kill the deal.

What you think about the design?

Too angular for my taste (sorry). The ecomodder green might be hard to match to some paint schemes.

How do you propose to fabricate them? Vacuum-form? 3D printed?

The air slots are buried in grooves. I don't think they'd move much air.

[Vekke]

Which style do you like most? Press the like button you like most. You can also make your own color theme if you have better eye for colors than me .

[Vekke]

[Vekke]

[Vekke]

Air slots will work like normal fan pushing the air out of the wheelwell. I know its not big fan, but the need for brake cooling is not that big in normal driving.

The pressure zones will also increase the air flow.

Manufacturing will be plastic injection. I will search if vacuum forming would be possible but it has some sharp corners which are not easy for vacuum forming. Also price wise the vacuum forming migth be too expensive.

[ennored]

If I had a car that used hubcaps (I haven't in years, like most Americans) and I needed some hubcaps, I'd just hit the junkyard. There have been some decently flat ones used over the years.

Used a set of these 90's Ford hubcaps on a trailer for a while. I think they'd be decent.

And I think your 5% fuel economy projection is pretty optimistic. .015 Cd improvement seems possible, that'd be a 5% aero improvement on a car with a Cd of .3, but that would net about 2.5% economy improvement.

(2.5% is inline with what the Tesla Model 3 folks say their aero hubcaps are worth, and they were designed in a wind tunnel.)

[GreenTDI]

Originally Posted by Vekke

Hi,


What do you think of the design and would you buy it for 40€ or $ per set of 4 wheelcovers?
Would you be interested to make preorder at some price?
What you think about the design?

Design doesn't really matter, I think (but you're design is nice!). There aren't any 'normal' closed hubcaps on the market so you would be the first. If I want to buy closed hubcaps, I need to search for moon eyes or racing discs, and they are too expensive. That's why most people make it them selves ...

€ 40 for a set is a good price, less is even better