Does anyone know this car? (boat-tailed 2nd gen. Prius spotted in the wild)
 

This was shot and posted on Facebook.

https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...9&d=1549677451

https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...0&d=1549677585

https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1549677595

What's that brown tailpipe looking thing out the back? Is it a tailpipe?

I recognize the car; it's a gen II Prius. :P

Saw it on sloppy mechanics!

I'm interested in the side skirts (they look like they were designed to be durable while very low) and the camera mirrors. Large looking screen on the passenger side of the dash.

I wouldn't want to have to parallel park that thing.

It might be a camper, the rear side door glass and rear window are blocked off with gray panel covers.

I think the clear covering for the taillights is pretty ingenious if it lasts.

I didn't even notice that brown tailpipe out the end, someone better tell uncle Jim his fly is open and the circus elephant is trying to get out. :D

recognize
 

Not me,but I like it!
Guessing that the pipe is to guarantee that the exhaust makes it to the 'outside.'
It also looks like a photovoltaic panel lurking below the clear glazing.
:thumbup:

Since the owner installed his license plate on the rear of the tail, wouldn't reverse lights need to be installed as well? I believe that the side markers need to be red fer the rear as well. I'm not sure about the requirement fer a rear bumper on cars though unless the owner considers the tail to be the bumper. ;)

Was this in the US? Pretty sure the mirror delete is illegal, if so. I've wanted to replace my mirrors with cameras for years.

I agree that it's got a solar panel inside the boattail. Looks like they also replaced/removed the glass in the rear doors and rear windshield, probably for weight reduction. I'm guessing they are only using the small lower portion that the Priuses have, for rear viewing. Also I may be wrong, but the side skirts look like PVC shower pan liner to me.

Nice pics!

AFAIK a passenger mirror delete is legal in all states unless rearward visibility is hampered. Just attach a small outside mirror for the states that require one for the driver's side:

https://www.amazon.com/SEIKOSANGYO-C...dp/B01CODEIKS/

I know it's legal to remove just the one, but I couldn't see a driver's side mirror in the pictures either. I thought they removed both side mirrors.

I thought it was a racoon tail. :confused:

The blanked out windows could be to reduce air conditioner load.

The license plate is visible in the third picture. Slap $5 down on the right DMV counter and you could get the owner's address and send them an Ecomodder sticker.

I think the mirror is still there but he has twisted and folded it up.

Or has he replaced it with a camera? Because from the window one can see a screen on the passenger side.

The plate on the rear is from Pennsylvania. ;)

In today's world, that doesn't work anymore because all searches are logged. Back in the old days when it wasn't monitored, it was easy. Today, it can git you fired and charged. :(

There is probably an pay for online search somewhere

To sell a new vehicle in the US it must conform to FMVSS 108, which requires a driver's outside mirror. However, state laws vary in their mirror requirements (you can search the Ecomodder wiki to get a summary of most states'). The only state I know of that specifically requires two outside mirrors is Illinois, where both mirrors must be present if any windows have an aftermarket tint (otherwise, no outside mirrors are required here!).

I don't think the rear windows are blocked with anything. I think he actually replaced them with coroplast for weight.

I drove for over 5 years with side video mirrors. I had to put the stock optical mirrors back on for each annual inspection, but I never had any issues with the video mirrors.

He has a drivers mirror if you look close.

I saw this one all over Facebook as well.

That area looks like Route-95 in the northeast. Maybe near the Boston area..

Looks like a Pennsylvania plate.

that is certainly inspired by my friends Judd Engles in ohio... he mocked up this car in red back in 2009ish and the images float around the web. He is a hyper-miler. and indirectly runs a forum called weusecoupons.

I love the order you posted the pics in, BZP. It looks like the Prius is passing on the right.

I parallel parked silverado 1500 long bed 8ft truck before 250" pick up truck :eek: not an issue

if you cant parallel park you should not be driving ;)


looks like it's only 215" 220" at the most (size of a 2008 Chevrolet Suburban)

so it should not be much an issue..


but the difficultly level will be about a 9 out of 10. because of the wheel base to length ratio

objects in the way such as trees power poles and fire hydrants will make it impossible to parallel park

It looks like this guy has used a lot of the techniques from this site. It would be great if he would start a thread and post some data on his results from the mods.

.

[citation needed]

Video driveby!!
https://gfycat.com/splendiddarlinghen

Being worked on...
https://i.redd.it/3isr3hgp7a141.jpg

"ChamPrius" is a basjoos redux if ever there was one (from design to build techniques). Awesome.

The one thing you can't say about it is that it is pointless... ;)

ChamPrius!
 

With that name I found a few others. The few positive comments from Reddit:
"This is actually the car of a physics professor at umass. He’s known for being eccentric. He claims he gains an extra 5mpg on the highway."
Can someone clean up this image? https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581220566
Jalopnik posted about it almost a year ago: Check Out the Awesome Gas-Saving Modifications on This Hypermiling Toyota Prius

What I learned from one year of Instagram posts from the ChamPrius owner (image heavy)
 

First of all, I do not understand Instagram. The first time that I heard of it the silly girl said "It is like Facebook, but just pictures!" The result was that it loaded slower than something with more text.

The ChamPrius has burned oil since he bought it, he needed to replace the cat, and he installed an oil catch can to reduce oil burning.

It sounds like his belly pan originally covered the CC, but the mechanic said this would not have caused a problem, burning oil did.

The full name is Champrius Pukonversion because the cat caused a rotting smell and so did the vent hoses on the hybrid battery.

"Coroplast, which is short for corrugated plastic." I never thought about that! :)

The exhaust tip is connected by a flexible joint, which failed, trapping the heat inside of the belly pan.

He once accidentally left his car running for two days straight. :D

So, pictures:
He has a heated blanket under his mattress. If he sleeps with the engine off this half-drains his 12v battery:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
His side skirts trapped a great amount of debris:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
Belly pan:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
Side skirts:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
He put dryer hose in his side skirts to maintain their shape:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
The plexiglas has cracked at least once:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
The big hole is supposed to release the heat produced by the catalytic converter. The front flap is the inlet:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
Heat failure:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
The belly pan trapped debris, too:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
His original front side skirts, which made the car quieter, but did not improve fuel economy. He removed them when he realized they floated outward, negating their benefit:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
Basjoos style:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
Wiper deflectors!:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
Closing the wheel gap:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524
Parking lot hit and run:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581227524

That is it! This is the last time that I am working on someone else's project! :) I squared up the informational image, but typed it up below:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1581228902
This hybrid is named
Champrius
She used to get 40 MPG, but now gets
60+ MPG
The modifications make her more aerodynamic.

The biggest contributors to fuel economy are:

1. This tail, reducing turbulence on the back
2. The grill blocking in the front near the radiator
3. Some belly pans on the underside
4. The moon disc hubcaps smoothing the wheels

She also has many minor changes like deflectors around the windshield wipers and door handles.

The goal is to achieve triple-diit MPG. Future mods:

• Finish the belly pans the whole length of the car
• Put a better nose on, removing the stagnation point
• Catamaran the wheel wells and tighten the air flow

Feel free to follow the madness: @KimLumbard. :)

Thanks for all that work, liberating the data.

I think front wheel skirts need to be on a four-bar linkage instead of a top hinge. Then you just add weight to the bottom or bungies to hold them down.

This guy sounds like blackandgreen

Lol!

EDIT: ... my blackandgreen is way simpler and gets roughly the same FE. ;)

Thanks for posting all that, Xist! You earned that t-shirt. :D


If he "used to get 40 MPG", I'd like to know more about how fast he typically drives, and the highway/city mix.



I suspect it'd get waaay higher than 60 MPG driven in my typical environment (ie. mostly on the scenic route/back roads with 50 mph / 80 kph limits).

All your questions, answered!
 

Hey all!

I'm the creator and owner of Champrius, the car pictured here.

She has all mirrors, they are just tiny. US interstate law says we need 10 sq in of area, and that's all I have. :) In addition, there are three rear cams: one center for backup, and two angled at 45 degrees for either lane.

The thing sticking out of the end was a flexible tailpipe. Which broke, flooded my tail with hot gas, melted my rear bumper, and destroyed version 2.0 of the boat tail. The current exhaust is under the tail, in a welded on steel pipe. ;)

Champrius has been featured in many places including Sloppy Mechanics, Jalopnik, TikTok, and my personal favorite: ****ty Car Mods. :D

Parallel parking is fine. So is parking in parking spots, etc.

It is indeed a camper. She's Champrius, the Champion Camping Prius. I use her for extended road trips and camping excursions. She's got a fridge, stove, foam mattress bed, signal booster for internet, and all the comforts of home. :thumbup:

I used to have a flexible solar panel, under the tail canopy. Those things are crap and should be avoided at all costs. After three of them failing in quick succession and a whole lot of hassle, I slapped a rigid solar panel on the back and never looked back. I haven't had any problems with it yet, years later.

No glass has been removed. There's white vinyl on it, to reduce heat and for a modicum of privacy. Part of the roof has been removed. I made a small hole with a vent to a temperature controlled fan, to cool automatically when it gets hot. That's also where I route my signal booster.

PM me if you want my address to send me an Ecomodder sticker. :p

I'm unfamiliar with Judd Engles in Ohio. I'm very familiar with the Aerocivic, which was what version 2.0 was based on. In my latest version 4.0 I'm striking off into bold new territory, where no modder has gone before. :rolleyes:

I'll post a thread once I hit 15 posts. Right now the forum isn't letting me do links, and there's a *ton* of useful links regarding Champrius.

I drive on the highway 75%+ of the time. I set the cruise control to 65 mph, and go to sleep. :eek: Seriously, I don't use any hypermiling techniques. Any mpg gains are pure aero / mechanical.

In order to make this legal in PA (my home state), I technically had to classify the tail as a trailer. Anything under 2ft can be considered a bumper; anything over is a trailer. So she has a DOT approved trailer light kit. That includes:
red marker lights at the end
yellow marker lights on the side
I didn't need conspicuity tape because it wasn't a minimum of 12 linear feet on edge. Rear backup lights aren't required on trailers, but I've decided to put them on my next version Champrius 4.0 which I'm building now.

Onward!