Reducing the Drag Coefficient

[electricfuture]

There are 2 simple things that could be done to reduce the drag on the current model.
1. Put wheel cowlings in the wheel wells to cover the exposed rough metal framing and sheet metal.
2. Replace the 5 spoke mags with a full cover mag. The Honda Civic Hybrid has this to reduce drag.

These are simple changes that could even be done later - if Nissan would provide the cowlings.

 

[davewill]

Don't see any reason Nissan needs to provide them. Sounds like a third party opportunity...if they're worthwhile.

 

[garygid]

Aren't the holes in the wheel important for getting air to cool the brakes?

 

[Anonymous]

Aren't the holes in the wheel important for getting air to cool the brakes?

Who needs brakes? I'd rather have the extra 50 feet of range! :roll:

 

[TonyWilliams]

I put those wheel covers on my 1988 Volvo 740 Turbo, and promptly warped the discs.

About $800 for new discs.

Yes, brakes need air, but the good news on our cars is that the brakes are used very little, unless you're at 100% charge all the time.

 

[TomT]

The concept of the "point of diminishing returns" also comes to mind...

I put those wheel covers on my 1988 Volvo 740 Turbo, and promptly warped the discs.

 

[Herm]

You could lower ride height, and add a front air dam.. but first you need a way to quantize drag to measure improvements (if any) and at this moment the only real data you can possibly have is kwh used to charge, speed and distance traveled.

Charge to 100%, at about midnight leave your house at a moderate speed, get on the hwy and travel 20 miles lets say, at 60mph (using the CC), get off the hwy, turnaround and return home, measure how much it took to recharge precisely and record it.. repeat a couple of times to get an average and then start messing around with the aerodynamics.

There should not be much traffic at midnight, winds and elevation changes should cancel out.

 

[electricfuture]

Concerning brake cooling - my Civic Hybrid has full cover mags (standard equipment) and are vented. So the same could be done for the Leaf I am sure.

 

[Stewy13]

Besides any gains you might get from doing these improvements, I wonder what the LEAF would look like with them equipped.

I love the look it gave the EV1.
That's where my main interest for this is right now, but knowing what one could gain even if small would be interesting to know too.
It'd be a nice touch to give variety to the LEAF to set yours aside from the others when there's more on the road.
There's a market for almost anything, just need the seed of demand to sprout supply.