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09-21-2013, 10:58 PM
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#112 (permalink)
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EcoModding Lurker
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150 meg of photos came in, will download and put up as soon as I get a chance.
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09-21-2013, 11:32 PM
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#113 (permalink)
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EcoModding Lurker
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OK - All photos from the conference are up.
Edison2 at the 2013 IESF Conference - a set on Flickr
Next week this photo set will be trimmed down to best photos. If you want something for your archives the largest selection is up there now.
I'll find out more about videos and get out an update on that. |
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09-22-2013, 02:29 PM
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#114 (permalink)
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This ain't going to convince many ...
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Strayed to the Dark Diesel Side
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09-22-2013, 02:39 PM
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#115 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
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Quote:
Originally Posted by euromodder
This ain't going to convince many ...
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What about the VLC is a problem? It is one of the most efficient car designs ever; let alone a 4 seat design. |
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09-22-2013, 06:01 PM
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#116 (permalink)
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...beats walking...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
What about the VLC is a problem?
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Problem: that "open-aire" design ever "meeting" any EPA/NHSTA/IISA crash test(s) criteria!
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
It is one of the most efficient car designs ever; let alone a 4 seat design.
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There's a huge "...gulf..." between mechanical safety and mechanical efficiency in most (non-eco) peoples eyes.
Just because the MPG-to-weight ratio is high is no guarantee the "broken egg-shell" syndrome isn't gonna happen during the slightest impact. |
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09-22-2013, 06:37 PM
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#117 (permalink)
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Quote:
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Just because the MPG-to-weight ratio is high is no guarantee the "broken egg-shell" syndrome isn't gonna happen during the slightest impact.
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In Oliver Kuttner's Green At Google talk he talks about the 40% offset front end collision, where no car has tested better. The Plymouth Prowler is 2nd. And he gets this gleam in his eye when he talks about motorsports.*
Have you really looked at that monocoque anti-intrusion beam that is the center of the roll cage and how it integrates to the tubes running for and aft?
Are you suggesting they are going to ship, and should be judged on, the rolling chassis without all the cup-holders and stuff?
*Because it's such an inspirational talk i went back to watch it again. He discusses safety at 17:56. "From motorsports we know a lot about high-speed impacts." 
Last edited by freebeard; 09-22-2013 at 07:27 PM..
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09-22-2013, 08:41 PM
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#118 (permalink)
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Even if the weight ballooned to 2,000lbs, which is about the weight of the Mitsubishi mirage (and has pretty good crash ratings) It would still get 85+ mpg highway on gasoline. At a price $8k below any hybrid. If you look at it for what it is, a minimalist econobox, i don't see a reason why it should cost any more than a Mirage.
The one concern i have had lately is the cost to repair after an accident. It could be more or less costlier than the average car. I mean if it's designed to shed a wheel in an accident, and those wheels do stick out. Is that better or worse? Thats the only part of the car that could not be economical.
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I try to be helpful. I'm not an expert.
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09-23-2013, 05:11 AM
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#119 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
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Crashing a car is generally not the most economical use ... and then you're on a Salvage title anyway, who'd keep it?.
Do you know how I know you didn't watch the video before you commented? Because he addresses all that. Since you probably still won't watch it, I'll recap from memory - steel chassis cars -- $6-8/lb
- aluminum chassis cars -- $20/lb
- box w/ McPherson struts hits the ceiling ~2000lb
- full size station wagon w/ in-wheel suspension would get 60mpg
- low weight through reduced parts count.
There is no reason for the weight to balloon to 2000lbs. It's not a minimalist econobox, it's a race car. |
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09-23-2013, 09:29 AM
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#120 (permalink)
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Master EcoModder
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Ron Mathis definitely has safety in mind in his design and engineering. They have crash tested the X-Prize version of the VLC, and it does great. I think that Oliver Kuttner mentions the specifics in the video above.
The shape of the car (elongated diamond) has everything to do with it - deflection away from the object and this means the time available to come to a stop is much longer and this minimizes the peak forces.
Also the shape is structurally robust. The wheels and their support structures are able to absorb and dissipate energy.
More weight means more energy to absorb. In a majority of all types of crashes, higher weight is a disadvantage, and only in a one or two types of two vehicle crashes does weight help. And those are helped by the deflection, and the "space" provided by the outboard wheels and long nose.
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