Designing and Building my own High MPG Car

[Frank Lee]

Rumpler Tropfenwagen Jr?

[kach22i]

I think either you want it powered by side winds, or it will be susceptible to side winds.

The reference to the older designs above are worth nothing in that the open spoke wheels limit the surface area side winds can push on.

Think of it this way, if you placed sheets of foamcore board over your bicycle wheels on a windy day, how much harder it would be to say balanced and upright.

It looks cool though, and much easier to build.

Materials?

[freebeard]

Cant the pontoon fenders so they're toed in in front and toed out in back.

Maybe 5" headlights?

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Sven7

Try to replicate Chevy Volt technology, not Honda Insight. Unless the second gen Insight has that tech too. Presumably you could program your way out of that problem but I would not know where to start.

Actually the honda insight gasoline motor is much better than the volt, so i would argue clutch both the EV motor gasser (2 clutches) and the insight is better then the volt.

[GoGogebic]

[Frank Lee]

"Progress" as in getting something built, or as in more dreaming with CAD?

[GoGogebic]

Frank, I could argue with you about how building and developing in the virtual world is smarter and cheaper then building multiple physical prototypes, but why bother. The sheetmetal chassis is literally a laser program, 4 hours of laser time, and a few hours on the pressbrake away. I still have work to do on the body though.

[Frank Lee]

You are talking to someone who has spent years in a cubicle designing vehicle bodies on CAD for a career. At some point- sooner better than later- a physical mock-up is needed to provide real-world design direction.

[freebeard]

You are talking to someone who has spent years in a cubicle designing vehicle bodies on CAD for a career.

I have new-found respect for whomever you are referring to.

"The difference between theory and practice is less in theory than it is in practice"

GoGogebic -- You might dial back the refraction on your canopy material. It looks like a solid block instead of a hollow bubble. Fresnel's good though.

[mikeyjd]

Originally Posted by GoGogebic

I like it in red ^