Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Aerodynamics
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 09-16-2010, 11:18 PM   #101 (permalink)
Left Lane Ecodriver
 
RobertSmalls's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA
Posts: 2,257

Prius C - '12 Toyota Prius C
Thanks: 79
Thanked 286 Times in 199 Posts
VLC has frontal area of 18.3 ft², the Dolphin's 17.3ft², and the Insight, Aptera 2e, and EV1 at 20ft². Accordingly, these cars (except the draggy Insight) all have very similar CdA, despite the radically different designs. I'm coming to suspect it may not be possible to do better than these cars without a dramatic step like going tandem, packaging humans prone or supine instead of upright, or going to two wheels and a body that leans.

We don't actually know the Cd of the Dolphin, but posts #63-65 shed some light on it: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post174013

But then it appears that we don't actually know the CdA of the VLC. Two different wind tunnels, two different results? I'd go with the real-world coastdown test, whose results are published here: Edison2: The Very Light Car (X PRIZE Contender) - Edison2 - Very Light Blog - About CoastdownTesting

  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to RobertSmalls For This Useful Post:
NeilBlanchard (09-17-2010)
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 09-16-2010, 11:31 PM   #102 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: CT usa
Posts: 224
Thanks: 11
Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts
Except the aptera can fit half as many people as those other cars. what is the cda of the xtracer?
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2010, 11:32 PM   #103 (permalink)
(:
 
Frank Lee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: up north
Posts: 12,762

Blue - '93 Ford Tempo
Last 3: 27.29 mpg (US)

F150 - '94 Ford F150 XLT 4x4
90 day: 18.5 mpg (US)

Sport Coupe - '92 Ford Tempo GL
Last 3: 69.62 mpg (US)

ShWing! - '82 honda gold wing Interstate
90 day: 33.65 mpg (US)

Moon Unit - '98 Mercury Sable LX Wagon
90 day: 21.24 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,585
Thanked 3,555 Times in 2,218 Posts
Beat me to it! I was going to suggest this as the best answer to the dreaded ground effect:





I just don't see this elevated thing working out. On several levels.
__________________


  Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Frank Lee For This Useful Post:
NeilBlanchard (09-17-2010), RobertSmalls (09-16-2010)
Old 09-17-2010, 05:56 AM   #104 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
NeilBlanchard's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth
Posts: 7,907

Mica Blue - '05 Scion xA RS 2.0
Team Toyota
90 day: 42.48 mpg (US)

Forest - '15 Nissan Leaf S
Team Nissan
90 day: 156.46 mpg (US)

Number 7 - '15 VW e-Golf SEL
TEAM VW AUDI Group
90 day: 155.81 mpg (US)
Thanks: 3,475
Thanked 2,950 Times in 1,844 Posts
The Edison2 VLC is tested at the GM wind tunnel only. They also tested it at the the Coastdown testing at the Chrysler proving grounds, and the number they got was 0.157 (if I remember correctly) -- it is withing 2% of the 0.161 "new" SAE Cd from the GM wind tunnel.

If there is any car in the world we have the true CdA of, it is the Edison2 VLC.

http://www.edison2.com/blog/2010/8/3...n-testing.html

Edit: The Dolphin and the E-Tracer are 2 seaters also. The Edison2 VLC is the only 4 seater.

The E-Tracer has better aero than the earlier X-Tracer/Ecomobile.



__________________
Sincerely, Neil

http://neilblanchard.blogspot.com/

Last edited by NeilBlanchard; 09-17-2010 at 06:07 AM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2010, 02:01 PM   #105 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
3-Wheeler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Southern WI
Posts: 827

AlienMobile - '00 Honda Insight
Team Honda
90 day: 80.05 mpg (US)
Thanks: 101
Thanked 560 Times in 191 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee View Post
Beat me to it! I was going to suggest this as the best answer to the dreaded ground effect:

Has anyone had the chance to actually pilot on of those motorcycles?

I would be real interested to find out how tough it is to handle with high side-winds.

My crusty Honda 500 has a full coverage conventional fairing and on one particular day back about 20 years ago, there was a sustained 40 mph side wind that made things, shall I say "very interesting" to drive through!!

I can't imagine what it would be like with the side panel coverage of the motorcycle pictured here!

Jim.
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2010, 02:18 PM   #106 (permalink)
(:
 
Frank Lee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: up north
Posts: 12,762

Blue - '93 Ford Tempo
Last 3: 27.29 mpg (US)

F150 - '94 Ford F150 XLT 4x4
90 day: 18.5 mpg (US)

Sport Coupe - '92 Ford Tempo GL
Last 3: 69.62 mpg (US)

ShWing! - '82 honda gold wing Interstate
90 day: 33.65 mpg (US)

Moon Unit - '98 Mercury Sable LX Wagon
90 day: 21.24 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,585
Thanked 3,555 Times in 2,218 Posts
Put the side wheels down?
__________________


  Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2010, 03:31 PM   #107 (permalink)
...beats walking...
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: .
Posts: 6,190
Thanks: 179
Thanked 1,525 Times in 1,126 Posts
...Captain James T. Kirk to Chief Engineer Scotty: "...Landing Gear Down, Scotty!"
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2010, 03:34 PM   #108 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: CT usa
Posts: 224
Thanks: 11
Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts
Could the dolphin fit 4 people if he used better smaller batteries? Im interested in the drag comparison between the aptera and the etracer.
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2010, 05:24 PM   #109 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
NeilBlanchard's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth
Posts: 7,907

Mica Blue - '05 Scion xA RS 2.0
Team Toyota
90 day: 42.48 mpg (US)

Forest - '15 Nissan Leaf S
Team Nissan
90 day: 156.46 mpg (US)

Number 7 - '15 VW e-Golf SEL
TEAM VW AUDI Group
90 day: 155.81 mpg (US)
Thanks: 3,475
Thanked 2,950 Times in 1,844 Posts
Yes, if the Dolphin didn't have 60 batteries that weigh 1,980 pounds, it could have a small backseat. The Metro it started as is not all that big, and Dave Cloud lowered the roof, and narrowed the back, so my guess is that tall people would not fit -- so it might be a 2+2?
__________________
Sincerely, Neil

http://neilblanchard.blogspot.com/
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2010, 08:49 PM   #110 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Patrick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Northern Florida, USA
Posts: 510

Hot Tamale - '10 Toyota Prius III
Thanks: 27
Thanked 96 Times in 70 Posts
FYI - Another car using the Morelli banana shape: SolarCar - SolarCar - Hochschule Bochum

http://www.hochschule-bochum.de/inde...14aa311c54268f

http://www.hochschule-bochum.de/inde...6a6c7a7d7da444


Last edited by Patrick; 09-17-2010 at 09:00 PM..
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Patrick For This Useful Post:
NeilBlanchard (09-17-2010)
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Video: clever, simple demo of teardrop shape -pointy end first vs. blunt end first MetroMPG Aerodynamics 12 11-21-2015 04:04 PM
Video: active aero (grille block) via shape memory alloy MetroMPG Aerodynamics 7 01-30-2010 11:21 PM
Diesel electric kit car, anyone? R. Q. Riley's latest takes shape (and looks good!) MetroMPG EcoModding Central 11 10-07-2008 02:52 PM
Strange OEM Aerodynamic Shape (longitudinal roof indents) LostCause Aerodynamics 17 03-19-2008 11:26 PM
I need molding s2man EcoModding Central 4 03-15-2008 12:16 PM



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com