Tesla S Aerodynamics

[Hypermiler1995]

Originally Posted by RunningStrong

A low slung saloon is not what older people, and people with children, would consider a practical car. A more upright vehicle with a step-up cabin is a much more usable and practical vehicle.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what you are describing is larger frontal area, not cd, you could make a 1/2 scale model of any car, and the cd would be the same, the frontal area would change, and thus the cda would change. Is this correct?

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Hypermiler1995

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what you are describing is larger frontal area, not cd, you could make a 1/2 scale model of any car, and the cd would be the same, the frontal area would change, and thus the cda would change. Is this correct?

Yes! If,say your model had half the frontal area,then its overall drag would be half the original's.

[RunningStrong]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Having a low Cd does not correlate to an impractical car. The Leaf could be improved a lot with affecting it practicality. Case in point is the Prius; it is more practical than the Leaf. The Model S is also and example of a much larger car that has the same drag as the Prius.

When I referred to practical, I wasn't referring to the drive-train. I was referring to the day-to-day usability like luggage space and cabin space.

The Leaf has more luggage space, sits higher, and is shorter. As a whole, it's a very popular body style in Europe at the moment.

Originally Posted by Hypermiler1995

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what you are describing is larger frontal area, not cd, you could make a 1/2 scale model of any car, and the cd would be the same, the frontal area would change, and thus the cda would change. Is this correct?

No, I'm not. A low slung saloon generally benefits from a better windscreen rake, rear windscreen rake, and a boot lid. A high-sitting hatchback often has a steeper windscreen and an abrupt tail.

[NeilBlanchard]

I am not referring to the drivetrain, either. The Prius is the more practical car and it could have a lower Cd.

The claim that somehow a low drag car is precluded from being practical is not correct.

Low drag is a design challenge, and so is practical use. One does not make the other impossible.

[Frank Lee]

But it sure makes it tough!

[freebeard]

The first hour of the current episode of EVTV* has Jack Rickard demonstrating the ingress/egress of the Tesla and the Smart EV. It's pretty eye-opening. He weighs 295, and it takes twice as many steps to get in as out of the Telsa; the ultimate insult is when he gets his head in under the roof, he can't reach the door to close it. With the Smart EV he opens a door that's 2/3 the length of the vehicle and basically falls in.

*youtube.com / watch?v=ipEzK1yzxHY

[NeilBlanchard]

That is not a failure of design of the Tesla.

The Smart is upright, but too stubby to be low drag.

[ME_Andy]

Does anybody know where the antenna is on an S?

I guess everybody here is too cheap to own one. lol

[aerohead]

This is not a true-length image,but it gives us a sense of the S's profile.
Elon Musk is saving more 'radical' styling for future.