Hello all

[david85]

I've admired the ecomodder forum and community for a while now but only signed up recently when a friend from another forum asked for my input on a thread he started here.

Project car is a 1996 Saturn SL1 converted to electric and recently confirmed to have a 100 mile range (roughly 50 MPH). I'm looking for input on belly pans to see what sort of gains can be expected. Right now all it has is a skid plate up front that closes off the area below the bumper. The original location for the fuel tank is also vacant and I'm wondering if having a large pocket like that near the rear of the car could be slowing me down.

Love the forum so far. Great topics and lots of enthusiasm

[euromodder]

Looking at the Wiki, it's 2.2 (well documented) to 4.8 %

The wiki will also give you some links to belly pan fabrication threads - one of them on a Saturn SL.
Belly pan - EcoModder

2.2% may not seem like a lot, but try pushing the car that far, or get an extension cord that long

The original location for the fuel tank is also vacant and I'm wondering if having a large pocket like that near the rear of the car could be slowing me down.

Everything that can act like a parachute, will drag you down.

Take advantage of all aero improvements you can, and they'll add up to a serious extra range.

Effectively getting 100 miles out of a DIY conversion is no mean feat.
Many current EVs don't really get that far in the real world.

[david85]

Thanks, I'm curious to see how it compares to cars like the leaf as more numbers start coming in. I have a build thread over on DIYelectric car but it spans several years......
I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post links yet either.

The lithium battery is 32kwh and I only 'burned' 76% of the calculated reserve according to my EV display.

I guess I was hoping for a bit more than 2% though. From what I've been reading here, it seems trucks benefit more due to the tall and messy underbody structural members than a unibody cars, which are generally more aerodynamic underneath to begin with.

[blade]

welcome to em
put up some pics for us

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by david85

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post links yet either.

With 10 post you can add links.

I guess I was hoping for a bit more than 2% though.

It's still a dirty area, even with a belly pan.
There the wheel wells, the wheels themselves spinning, the air flowing close to the ground.

From what I've been reading here, it seems trucks benefit more due to the tall and messy underbody structural members than a unibody cars, which are generally more aerodynamic underneath to begin with.

The messier the starting situation is, the more benefit you'll see.
Some modders also reported more than 2% gain.

[Bill in Houston]

plus, your belly pan can be smoother than one that has to fiddle with exhaust pipes and gas tanks and such.

[david85]

I started a thread over in the "ecomodding central" section a few days ago and have uploaded a couple photos there.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...urn-17675.html

Thanks again

[backyard engineer]

glad to see you join here, sharing is awonderful thing. EV's are the way.