Toyota concept aero truck
 

Found this today at www.trucktrend.com about a concept Toyota pickup. Thought some folks here might be interested to see that aero is finally being considered as important where a truck is concerned(yes I know its a compact, but it is a start).

http://www.trucktrend.com/future/con...uck/index.html

In the side picture with the doors open, the profile looks almost sedan-ish.

very large-frontal-profile-sedan-ish.

At a time when we need giant strides the auto industry takes baby-steps. At least the "green" theme is there. It's prettymuch greenwashing at this point, but it's there nonetheless.

Sometimes I wonder if these lil urban designers have ever seen a truck in use?

These are fer the guys and gals who buy a one ton pickup, lift it, put mudders on it, and never take it off the pavement.

Yeah, yuppies might eat it up.

Wow, looks like it should be in a futurist Arnold Swarzenager movie with laser guns mounted on it.

Is it the Ridgline that comes with the slanty side parts on the back?
I always thought that was a good start to a little better aerodynamics. Just cover those sides bits with some plexiglass.

Looks to me like the Chevy volt on steroids. :p Man talk about over thinking something. Which do you think would be cheaper and get better mileage. that or this.

Does appearance matter?
 

Notice in that article:
From my understanding of Calty, they design for appearance, not functionality. I am biased toward the functionality side, perhaps because I am an engineering student. Unfortunately, as long as automobile manufacturers are in the business of making money, they will do their best to do turn a profit. As much as I am ready to see more efficient, aerodynamically sound vehicles, I don't think the average American consumer is ready to give up style for substance.

I just competed in a business plan competition at my university, proposing an aftermarket fuel economy parts sales and installation store. Basically, my group's concept was to sell what we (ecomodder.com members) do to our own vehicles. There appears to be a market out there (as Bondo is trying to capture with his AeroLid) for improving the fuel economy of light trucks and SUVs. However, the business experts who judged my competition didn't like the "negative" effect of our mods on the appearance of the vehicles.

My question: Is appearance thus a necessary design criterion for mainstreaming fuel economy mods?

Initially: yes.

In the longer term: no.


In the US (and Canada) we are still used to getting our transportation energy (gasoline) at an extremely cheap price. With that "norm" in place, we are free to follow our most inefficient aesthetic whimsy.

Once we start seeing prices more akin to what the Europeans are paying then we will see some major changes in our ideas of what an automobile should look like.

I think that even if the automakers did want to go radical with aerodynamic cars the public is still very uninformed. I worked at the Milwaukee Auto Show in the Milwaukee Hybrid Group's booth a few weeks back and we had a PHEV Prius there. I talked with a ton of people, and there were quite a few who simply didn't like the Prius because 'it doesn't look normal'. I tried to explain why it was done, but for the most part they had their opnions and wouldn't even think about changing their mind. In general the automotive industry is shifting to more aerodynamic cars. Its not ALL their fault that they can't just go with a radical new design. Buyers are a hang up too unfortunately. Our cars need to look 'good' (whatever that means) as they are so tied into our image and status of ourselves.