ecdriver711
Elio Addict
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Might look cool too.I agree. And add temperature/thermostat controlled "shudders" mounted flush with the nose (instead of recessed) in the grill opening.
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Cooling Drag
- Thread starter skygazer6033
- Start date
After the Elio is produced and magazines review the Elio, I hope they include an image of the Elio in a wind tunnel so I can see the air flow with actual drag numbers. Too Cool Elio in 2015 and 84 mpg.
Just recently in the Wall Street Journal September 9, 2014 (page B1 marketplace), they cover the topic of substituting super glue/ adhesives for welds or rivets, screws or bolts with Ford, BMW and GM to save weight. Reducing the weigh of welds-screws-bolts-rivets with the minimal weight of adhesive bonding. That for them contributes to weight saving and thus minor mpg increase.
My, the Elio weight is 1,240 lbs, 84 mpg and cost $6,800.00 <> go team Elio!
Terrence
The Lotus Elise is held together with polyurethane adhesive for the most part, a pretty reddish color.
Dustoff
Elio Addict
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Tesla uses it as well.
wheaters
Elio Addict
My little car has it's radiator air ducting bonded together with polyurethane. It's much stronger than a few rivets and screws. Excellent stuff!
This is a front wheel drive car, as such it NEEDS an electric fan. It would save more time, money, and Lbs at this stage of development for Elio to reduce the size of the front of the car (making the car lighter and more aerodynamic) and stuffing a slightly larger radiator fan / motor IF need be to make up for the reduction in airflow. Remember the idea is LOW cost HIGH MPG, so ALL modifications / alterations should be removals / reductions if at all possible. Thermostats and vents / louvers will add "heft", perhaps not much but still an addition. (and possibly drag if not installed correctly) Aerodynamics is the #1 "evil" when it comes to highway MPG and Mass is the #1 "evil" when to comest to "stop go" MPG. For Elio to reach there goals they have to keep both as low as possible.
NSTG8R
Elio Addict
Granted, I don't have an Elio hood to weigh, but I'd bet money I can make one twice as stiff, and half the weight. Same goes for the wheel fairings and back hatch. The vents (again, I have no real-world data to back this statement up), 'should' help the aerodynamics by routing the engine compartment air up and over the Elio, rather than dumping out the bottom (which in my minds eye would tend to lift the vehicle). Of course I won't know for sure until I do it (jeez this is going to be a loooong year!), and if there's no gains, or even a loss of mpg, I'll be going back the stock design...and the drawing board (CAD screen now days).
OK, just to feed your thinking. One of the easiest improvements would be to cover up that side opening, and also put an aerodynamic profile to those AArms. So long as the engine compartment still has an air exit, this would be a big benefit.Granted, I don't have an Elio hood to weigh, but I'd bet money I can make one twice as stiff, and half the weight. Same goes for the wheel fairings and back hatch. The vents (again, I have no real-world data to back this statement up), 'should' help the aerodynamics by routing the engine compartment air up and over the Elio, rather than dumping out the bottom (which in my minds eye would tend to lift the vehicle). Of course I won't know for sure until I do it (jeez this is going to be a loooong year!), and if there's no gains, or even a loss of mpg, I'll be going back the stock design...and the drawing board (CAD screen now days).
I'm thinking some kind of silicone membrane that covers the hole as well as clads those arms. But it could also incorporate a panel and maybe a proper flow port to exit engine air. I mention such a thing to Paul himself at one of the exhibitions, but he said that would be too expensive.
I don't think it's too expensive for an after market kit. I have to have an Elio to put such a thing together myself, unless I created a reasonable mock-up in card board. Something to think about.
skygazer6033
Elio Addict
At cruise speed a 900 cc engine would only need an inlet 2 inch by 18 inch possibly less. A door underneath the nose could be opened for additional air when stopped. Actually the a/c condenser probably needs more air than the engine.
I am expecting to see many mods like this become available in the aftermarket which should help improve those MPG numbers even more. Another addition would be an undertray as EM has said they are designing a smooth underside however it may not be fully smoothed out with an undertray as that would cost more.
I would love to see someone design an undertray which even attempts to direct air around that rear tire which does add drag. To my mind to accomplish this the undertray design would have to be shaped to create an air curtain like effect around the tire as you could not have something hanging down too low on the underside.
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Making that air inlet smaller is one of the changes expected in the P5/E0 however I would not expect any kind of active system because of the added cost. However, as I said in my previous post, I do expect these kinds of mods from the aftermarket. It would not be hard at all for someone to develop a new nose piece with an even smaller air inlet and a door to allow more air in when needed. I could even imagine someone programming a wireless control system where OBDII data is taken and automatically opens and closes the opening based on vehicle speed and engine temperatures.