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aerodynamics


VIDEO: Aerodynamics adds 7 miles to Volt electric range

Back in the spring of 2008 when General Motors took us on a tour of its wind tunnel facility, chief engineer Frank Weber emphasized the importance of aerodynamics in maximizing the electric driving range of the Volt. At that time, all we got see was a one-third scale model covered in various colors of duct tape. However, GM's aerodynamicists, including Nina Tortosa, explained that even at lower speeds, resistance to air-flow played an even bigger part in efficiency than the car's mass. In the latest in a series of videos on the Volt ... Read more →

Next-gen BMW 3 series to get turbo three, better aero, hybrid powertrain Sam Abuelsamid

The next generation of BMW's 3-series looks like it will get some major revisions when it arrives in about two years. The new model is expected to be the first in the range to get new turbocharged ...

Ask AutoblogGreen: Do electric vehicles need front air intakes? Sam Abuelsamid

A reader posed us an interesting question the other day about air intakes and grilles. Specifically: do electric vehicles need them at all and why do many internal combustion vehicles have such large ...

Mercedes-Benz plans to drop drag below .20 Cd within 5 years Jeremy Korzeniewski

- In a previous post from our Greenlings series, we took a brief look at how and why aerodynamics play a significant role in a vehicle's overall efficiency. To put it plainly, the easier a car ...

What is cD and why does it matter? Jeremy Korzeniewski

Aerodynamics. When discussing overall efficiency, sometimes it's easy to overlook just how important the shape of an automobile is in determining how fuel efficient it is. Aerodynamics is the reason ...

Honda claims similarity between Insight and Prius a coincidence 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

Vehicle aerodynamics are a strange thing. While you can create perfect aerodynamic models using math, there is no ideal aerodynamic shape for a vehicle because there are so many variables - including style, which is constantly updated. Still, certain shapes are slipperier than others and the ...

It's Friday: Can cardboard increase your mileage? 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

It's been proven that simple aerodynamic mods can make a big overall difference on your fuel economy, though the results can't always be described as pretty. Thanks to a tip from a reader, we can again see that enterprising drivers can make easy modifications to the exterior of their vehicle in an ...

Reader provides Photoshop rendering of what production Volt might look like 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

Over at the Petrozero.org web-site, reader Scott has put his Photoshop skills to work creating a rendering of what the production Chevy Volt might look like. Working from one of the original images of the concept, the shots of the taped up wind tunnel model and what we've been previously told, ...

Small design changes can have a big impact on efficiency 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

We often focus on major engineering shifts when considering how to improve the fuel mileage and reduce the emissions of our cars. Hybrid drivetrains, battery-powered electric cars and hydrogen fuel cells are all extremely hot topics, and with good reason as they truly are the short- and long-term ...

Craig Vetter Streamliner - created in the name of fuel economy 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

We've wondered aloud whether motorcycles need to be as large, heavy and even as powerful as they often are, and it turns out that we are not the only ones who have noticed this trend. Craig Vetter, the man behind the Windjammer fairing and the Triumph Hurricane, found out himself that by changing ...

Volt aero and styling: Touring the E-Flex design studio and GM wind tunnel 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

At the General Motors Technical Center on Monday, the company provided another in a series of updates on development of the Chevrolet Volt as it approaches a production launch in late 2010. This time around the subject was aerodynamics and styling, both inside and out. When the Volt concept was ...

Back in history: Streamlining to optimize mpg with the Chrysler Airflow 2 years ago on Autoblog Green

There's a simple yet oft-forgotten law of physics that says the faster an object moves, the higher the pressure against its movement is - that is, more energy is needed to counteract this air pressure in order to maintain and increase speed. This was a rather new field when Chrysler developed the ...


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