JRP3
Hyperactive Member
With an RV EV it might be worth doing a pop top setup. Why try to push an extra 2Ft of height into the wind on the highway when you only need it when stopped? Instead of a slide out do a slide up.
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ICE production cars you wish were electric and perform like a Tesla
- Thread starter sprediletto
- Start date
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- Electric Vehicles
Yeah, I was thinking of something like that too. I have some (not very seriously thought through) napkin sketches floating around.
ChadS
Last tank of gas: March 2009
Me too. In fact I've started looking at cD and frontal area for various vans, hoping there will magically be a large van with low drag. No such beast, of course; it would be nice if somebody built one as Rich describes.
I've got a '97 Ford Econoline with a Sportmobile Class B pop-top conversion (so the floor isn't as low as Rich's ideal; but it's not any taller). .37cD (pretty typical), but of course still a pretty big hole to punch through the air. I haven't yet started calculating how many batteries I can get it to carry...but even after taking out all the gas trappings, it probably won't be much over 100kWh. So maybe twice the energy of a Roadster; but with a LOT more drag and weight, it's definitely not going to be able to do 200 miles.
It would probably work for in-state camping. But then again, so does stuffing a tent and sleeping bag in my Roadster's trunk and cargo box. I suspect this will just remain a dream.
Some vans I've glanced at, with their cD and height x width; multiply 'em together for a rough approximation of drag:
Dodge Sprinter: cD .36, 78" x 93" (Sportsmobile will put a pop-top on it)
VW Westfalia: .51 (!), 73" x 81"
VW Eurovan: .36 (regular model, but MV is probably not much worse), 72 x 76
2000 Econoline: .37, 80 x 79 (Sportsmobile will put a pop-top on it. A university put on a smooth belly pan and reduced drag 15%)
Bright Idea concept: .30, 79 x 79 (a year or so ago I asked Sportsmobile to try to be a "fleet" buyer and put poptops on them; Sportsmobile has a facility about 50 miles from Bright's)
Last-gen Toyota Sienna: .30, 67 x 73 (GTRV will put a pop-top on it). This definitely has less drag--but of course it has less room and ability to carry batteries, too.
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My dream "smallish" electric car - Opel Tigra. I really wish they'd still make them - this is 10 years old model, newer have much edgier design.
There was a green one of these at this years Goodwood "Style et Luxe" show. I didn't check the serial number though.
