AirFlow Truck Company StarShip Aero

[Shepherd777]

Hello fellow EcoModders -

I haven't posted in a while, and I won't be able to do build pic updates like I did with the BulletTruck due to confidentially agreements. But here's what I can show on the new truck that we are currently fabricating in my shop.

We are utilizing a custom 2016 Strick 53' dry van for the StarShip. The Strick comes with an external door frame on the roof. We discovered via our CFD testing that this area was really an aero detriment. So we built a custom fairing to divert the airflow over the obstruction in the CAD software. Bingo. No more red area on the CFD. So we then built that fairing in real life.





Not related to the aero, but we have installed a 5000 watt solar array on the roof of the trailer. We also have full side skirts on the tractor and trailer like I've had since 1983. We will trim that rearmost skirt panel when we install our custom boat-tail.



Here's a close-up of the roof fairing and the solar array.



Here is a close-up of the tire access doors. They are held up with gas struts and open and close with race car push buttons. Way cool.



Due to the NDAs, here is all that I can currently show on the tractor. The 6 custom aluminum brackets on the frame rails hold the rear carbon fiber tractor skirts. The front carbon fiber tractor skirts are attached to the bottom of the cab. We will also have a full bellypan on this tractor, and you can see the rear section is already installed.



The entire cab, tractor skirts, hood, bumper, and many other items are vacuum-bagged carbon fiber.

The complete vehicle has been calculated at 0.25 Cd.

[mcrews]

very nice!!!!

[seifrob]

Hat off!
You are making something awesome!
Is it tire inflation system what I see on the photos?

[deejaaa]

that looks nice, and, expensive.

[Shepherd777]

Originally Posted by mcrews

very nice!!!!

Thanks, mcrews

Originally Posted by seifrob

Hat off!
You are making something awesome!
Is it tire inflation system what I see on the photos?

Thanks, seifrob. Yes, we have a standard off-the-shelf Automatic Tire Inflation System (ATIS) on the trailer, and a custom ATIS on the tractor.

Originally Posted by deejaaa

that looks nice, and, expensive.

Actually, this vehicle is prolly the most bang-for-the-buck of any vehicle on the planet. Freightliner literally spent about $80M more than us on their so-called SuperTruck.

[MetroMPG]

Looking forward to more... when you can.

[Xist]

Your truck is more aerodynamic than many production cars?! Is it me or is that a more significant achievement than some Nobel science prize winners?

[Daox]

Do you know what a typical tractor and trailer's cd is?

[Shepherd777]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Looking forward to more... when you can.

Hi Darin - Yes sir, I'll do as much as I can. When it's released to the public I can do some build posts and images.

Originally Posted by Xist

Your truck is more aerodynamic than many production cars?! Is it me or is that a more significant achievement than some Nobel science prize winners?

Thanks for the kind words, Xist. But I'm just an old truck driver, and I, in no way, would compare myself to a Nobel Prize winner. I really don't think that Cd number is that significant. We are just scaling-up what we all know works on motor vehicles. I mean, obviously we have more frontal area by about an acre than a Prius. But yes, we do have that low Cd. And my aerodynamicist's day job is with Honda Motors in Torrance. So that number is dead-nuts accurate.

Originally Posted by Daox

Do you know what a typical tractor and trailer's cd is?

Hi Tim. There are a lot of disparate tractor shapes, as you know. They go from coffin-square hoods and flat bumpers, to somewhat rounded "aero" tractors. But I believe the average is around .065 Cd for a tractor and a dry van trailer in 2016. We treat our tractor trailer as one integrated, as seamless as possible, aerodynamic unit.

[mcrews]

Shepard777 said...

"But I believe the average is around .065 Cd for a tractor and a dry van trailer in 2016."

"The complete vehicle has been calculated at 0.25 Cd."




and Robin said....

"HOLY CRAP, BATMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!



NOTE TO MODERATORS:
we need a smilie face that bows down........thumbs up isn't enough!!!!

There are at least 2 posters that deserve a bow down.....
Mr firebird/prius
Mr slick 18 wheeler

(and that's just this yr!!!!!)