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-   -   My Aerotail on Audi A2 (https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/my-aerotail-audi-a2-18413.html)

theo22 08-06-2011 05:07 AM

My Aerotail on Audi A2
 
4 Attachment(s)
Hello,

After seeing some boattails online. I decided to built one that also functions as a luggage carrier. So we can go camping with our 2 kids, bring all the stuff and not have to use an mpg-killing trailer or roofrack.
I used a trailerhitch bikerack as a base. It can tilt so you can open the trunk.

When I drive around 65 M/h on the highway, I get 10% more Mpg.
I once got 92Mpg (2,5 l/100Km) on a 135 mile trip, with 4 people and full of luggage.

I'm thinking of making a foam rim to fill the gap between the car and the tail and to improve the bottomside of the tail.

I can still see through the upper part of the rear window.
I have a webpage (in dutch) with more pictures.


I also made an electric recumbent motorcycle.
I'm a friend of the guy who made the mintcolored fully faired honda.
I still have to make a better fairing for it.

mcrews 08-06-2011 06:00 AM

wow!!

let me be the first to welcome you!!

arcosine 08-06-2011 08:53 AM

Very nice.

Cd 08-06-2011 10:04 AM

I saw your project mentioned on this site before, and I was hoping to see you join and share some details with us. A big welcome !
You have taken one of the most streamlined production vehicles ever offered to the public and greatly improved on its aerodynamics.
Welcome !

Cd 08-06-2011 10:11 AM

I like the font that you chose for the text on the sticker. It looks professional.
Nice message too.
Do you plan to add a small clear section on the back to see out of ?

Arragonis 08-06-2011 02:19 PM

Very neat fabrication and good idea to use the hitch / rack as a mount.

Kodak 08-06-2011 03:10 PM

Possible retail potential (niche market)?

Nice work. Very professional looking.

Weather Spotter 08-06-2011 03:27 PM

As a fellow boat tail driver, that looks great!

Arragonis 08-06-2011 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kodak (Post 254636)
Possible retail potential (niche market)?

Nice work. Very professional looking.

For this it may be worth PM-ing user Vekke who has a business doing aero stuff in Europe.

theo22 08-06-2011 05:02 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Most people who see the Aerotail tell me to get a patent or to start selling them.
I run a succesfull business making Velomobiles (fully faired 3wheeled recumbent bicycles)
I have no intention of starting a production of aerotails.
I think there could be a market for a trailerhitch aerotail that would fit on several cars.
You can buy a trailerhitch luggagecarrier here in holland, but it's just a square box. They could simply change the shape to a more aerodynamic one and make 3 or 4 different sizes/shapes to fit most cars, hatchbacks SUV's etc.

Oh, here's a picture of my electric motorbike

Weather Spotter 08-06-2011 05:12 PM

whats the range on that electric bike at what speeds?

Piwoslaw 08-06-2011 05:38 PM

It's good to see you here, Theo. I'm sure there are quite a few questions floating around here.
For starters, I'd like to know if you had to legalize what you did to the original hitch-mounted bikerack? Have you had any problems with police? I noticed it has its own registration plate.

BTW Here is the first thread about your AeroTail:
DIY hitch-mounted boat tail on Audi A2 3L

Quasimoto 08-07-2011 10:23 AM

Welcome theo22, I for one would love to see a detailed account of both your builds; the aerotail as well as the ebike. Both look great, good job.

theo22 08-07-2011 04:09 PM

is it legal?
 
[QUOTE=Piwoslaw;254672]It's good to see you here, Theo. I'm sure there are quite a few questions floating around here.
For starters, I'd like to know if you had to legalize what you did to the original hitch-mounted bikerack? Have you had any problems with police? I noticed it has its own registration plate.

Hi, I'm using the Aerotail since june.
In Europe it's totally legal. I checked it. It's allowed to have something stick out at the back, as long as you have the lights an the licenceplate at the end again, it's just the same licenceplate as the car

The bikerack I used has an Eurepean approval.
I drove it to Italy and back and the police saw me but never stopped me.
I think the stickers help to make it look like a real product

theo22 08-07-2011 04:30 PM

e-motion
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter (Post 254671)
whats the range on that electric bike at what speeds?

Just 50 Km at 65 Km/h but it get's me to my work.
16 cell 48V 40 Ah so about 2 Kwh battery 23Kg.
The whloe bike just 100 Kg
top speed 75 Km/h.

I messed up the batteries once, i had no BMS and lost 3 cells.
that was an expensive lesson.
Now the pack performs a little less than it should.

The design was to get at least 90 Km/h speed, but the battery and the controller don't perform according to the specs. I should have known.
Maybe I'll change it, then i'll have to replace battery, controller and motor.

I could also get more range end speed with a better fairing.

euromodder 08-09-2011 10:04 AM

Welkom op ecomodder.com , Theo.

It's great to see you've improved the already efficient A2 a bit more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by theo22 (Post 254666)
Most people who see the Aerotail tell me to get a patent or to start selling them.

Patenting won't work, there are plenty of aerotails out in the wild already, so one can't claim the idea any more.

Quote:

I think there could be a market for a trailerhitch aerotail that would fit on several cars.
I hate to be a spoilsport, but IMO it's going to be a niche market at best - well, I bet they said that about velomobiles as well ;) - and few cars are similar enough to fit one aero-hitch.


Quote:

Originally Posted by theo22 (Post 254813)
In Europe it's totally legal. I checked it. It's allowed to have something stick out at the back, as long as you have the lights an the licenceplate at the end again

Did you happen to find some EU regulation allowing these racks for general purposes ?

In Belgium and on passenger cars, an extension is only allowed for carrying bikes and wheelchairs - and even then only in a rather roundabout way.
It's allowed to stick out 1m.

In Italy, you'd even need a red/white striped plate on the back.
http://wegcode.be/images/stories/ver...vers/diago.gif

theo22 08-09-2011 04:52 PM

[QUOTE=euromodder;255165]
Patenting won't work, there are plenty of aerotails out in the wild already, so one can't claim the idea any more.

-- I know this, but the people who tell me to get patent don't


I hate to be a spoilsport, but IMO it's going to be a niche market at best - well, I bet they said that about velomobiles as well ;) - and few cars are similar enough to fit one aero-hitch.

-- In Holland you can buy trailerhitch boxes .(i can't post pictures yet)
They are just square plastic boxes costing between 400 and 700 dollar.
They could make one that has somewhat of a boattail shape. So it at least doesn't increase fuel consumption and hopefully lowers it a bit.



Did you happen to find some EU regulation allowing these racks for general purposes ?

In Belgium and on passenger cars, an extension is only allowed for carrying bikes and wheelchairs - and even then only in a rather roundabout way.
It's allowed to stick out 1m.

-- I kept my tail just under 1m

In Italy, you'd even need a red/white striped plate on the back.
[QUOTE]

-- I looked up the rules for Holland.
You can have basically anything attached to the back as long as it's safely attached.
The only rule is having freely visable lights and license plate.
This means you need an extra set of taillights and an extra license plate.


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