Shell Eco Marathon

[Xist]

I want to see cell phone pictures or even video of the drivers in motion. Fitting and breathing are good questions, but how would they see?!

Maybe a semi, streamlined or not, should not be riding alongside motorized baby carriages with poor visibility, but Shepherd777, I hope that great things come out of your presence!

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Cd

Laval University Aims to Reclaim MPG Crown - Shell Global


shell eco marathon cars - Google Search

I especially like this designs shape :

But then you have stuff like this that makes you scratch your head and think " What did they do that for ?" ( the car is driving backwards aerodynamically :



So do they run REAL cars at this event ? Here is an example of a "car" for this race - which i seem to remember runs at less than 40 mph. This isn't much more than a tissue paper covered motorized skateboard ( when compared to an everyday car - not knocking the genius designers.I really admire these guys ):

I see this as nothing more than Shell trying to gain P.R. as being eco-friendly.
They are after all an oil company.

I recognize the car as the PACII car. The above design is the most streamlined "car" in the world . I just have to wonder how a human fits inside of this thing .... and how do they breathe ?.

This is why I've ignored 'wing' cars and leaned towards the pumpkin seeds.The Bochum University solar car is a regular 2-door coupe of Cd 0.14.
You walk up to it,open the door,get inside and close the door all by yourself.

[kach22i]

What I admire about these projects is that they tackle real life road conditions such as "lift" and learn to deal with it.

In my opinion, pumpkin seeds need to be turned upside down otherwise they are prone to flying off the road and getting people hurt.

Many of the cars shown are neutral foils if not upside down wings, that's reality over theory.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by kach22i

What I admire about these projects is that they tackle real life road conditions such as "lift" and learn to deal with it.

In my opinion, pumpkin seeds need to be turned upside down otherwise they are prone to flying off the road and getting people hurt.

Many of the cars shown are neutral foils if not upside down wings, that's reality over theory.

The Sunraycer would have been an issue.I think car with driver was 520-lbs,with the size of a Chevy Caprice/Buick Roadmaster/Cadillac.....
It seems that since Morelli's work of the late 70s we've kinda licked all the problems that Kamm was concerned with.
With 'normal' curb weights and 'normal' driving speeds that we'll be plenty safe.
The (Reid) Railton 'Mobil' Special saw over 350-mpg without mention of dynamic stability.
The T-100 is rock steady at extra-legal speed with nearly 50-50 weight distribution.It feels like a super-sized CRX.Which matches Ferrari in the curves.

[kach22i]

I've long forgotten how to do such math, but this book link mentions the gusts which have been known for overturning solar racers in the Australian World Solar Challenge.

A Solar Car Primer - Eric F. Thacher - Google Books

The low weight large surface area racers are prone to wind gusts more than aerodynamic street cars, but there is something to be learned as we examine their evolution and development.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by kach22i

I've long forgotten how to do such math, but this book link mentions the gusts which have been known for overturning solar racers in the Australian World Solar Challenge.

A Solar Car Primer - Eric F. Thacher - Google Books

The low weight large surface area racers are prone to wind gusts more than aerodynamic street cars, but there is something to be learned as we examine their evolution and development.

They've got those 'land-trains' in Australia which blow by the solar racers at 80-mph.
If the team cannot prove 'road-worthiness' under conditions like this,they're banned from competition.
During the speed trials at Battle Mountain,even though they do constant wind monitoring,an occasional gust will pop a contestant,sending them into the brush.Fully-contained within the shell,there;s no way to lean and compensate.Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!

[freebeard]

My cousins, when they were growing up on the Pacific coast, claimed that a pickup truck cresting a rise into a high wind right off the ocean was flipped right onto its back.

60+mph forward into an 80mph headwind with maybe some crosswind component and no Bonneville fences on the roof? Sounds legit.