Aerodynamic Improvements for Longer Range

[JeremyW]

If you want a slippery production car to model, I suggest the original Honda Insight. It has factory rear wheel covers!

[DaveEV]

That Prius looks pretty slick - way beyond what most people are willing to do on a budget.

I did find these "Ziptie Plugs" which could be used to attach aero covers to alloy wheels:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.p ... post445066" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

20 EUR to buy 50 of them - you probably need 4-5 per wheel.

[NeilBlanchard]

That Mooncraft Prius is impressive - very well done aero mods. Make the rest of us look like amateurs. The back is a excellent example of a Kamm back, which has a tapering angle, and then a clean edge so the air separates without tumbling.



For experimentation, the favorite material is Coroplast, which is the corrugated plastic sheets, like what yard signs are made out of. It is ~$20 a 4x8 sheet, and it works well enough to test things, and then you build things out of aluminum or fiberglass.

[NasGoreList]

That Mooncraft Prius is impressive - very well done aero mods. Make the rest of us look like amateurs. The back is a excellent example of a Kamm back, which has a tapering angle, and then a clean edge so the air separates without tumbling.



For experimentation, the favorite material is Coroplast, which is the corrugated plastic sheets, like what yard signs are made out of. It is ~$20 a 4x8 sheet, and it works well enough to test things, and then you build things out of aluminum or fiberglass.

how about some picks of you have done to your leaf?

[NeilBlanchard]

I have not done things to my Leaf - we are leasing it, and my spouse does not want even temporary mods. I have modified my ICE (Scion xA) in very similar ways to this Prius, with the addition of video mirrors.

I am averaging at least 50% over EPA, and while I think it is harder to gain that much on the Leaf (since the drivetrain is already so good), I do think that aero mods will extend the range significantly. Lower the drag, and you lower the consumption, which extends the range.

[Brenthasty]

My long term average is over 50% better than stock rated

[TorC]

After not washing my car for a loooong time I noticed a strange pattern around the "Zero Emission" stickers on the front doors. Cleary indicating that there are a lot of wind being "tossed" around.

So, hence the question: Will it be any better Cd if I remove them? (however little) or will the Cd increase? (Like in some instances long straight panels will create big whirls of wind and give more drag, and having obstacles will cancelling them out. Or like the bulb on the front of ships).

I think I will remove them anyhow, cause they are a pain every time I have to wash my car or polish it.

[NeilBlanchard]

The turbulence in the back of the car is a result of the overall shape of the car - the bumps and bits on the back of the car don't affect a thing.

[TomT]

One thing I have noticed about my Gen 2 Volt is just how much better the aerodynamics is compared to the Leaf... Higher speeds don't have nearly the efficiency impact that they do on the Leaf (even at a continuous 66-70 I always easily beat the EPA 53 mile rating)...

[DaveEV]

I've found in the LEAF that anything above 65mph really kills efficiency.

The zero emissions badges on the front doors are too low profile to affect aero. Any strange turbulence there is a result of air passing over the front wheels.