aerodynamics
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The Tesla Model 3 will be more aerodynamic than the Model S, a new report says.
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Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA Changes Shape For Better Efficiency
The Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA changes shape at certain speeds to lower drag.
Stephen Edelstein -
2015 Ford F-150 'Air Curtain' Cuts Aerodynamic Drag
The Ford F-150 uses ducting in its wheel wells to deal with aerodynamic drag from spinning wheels.
Stephen Edelstein -
Tesla Model S Body Kit: Definitely Different, Range-Robbing Too?
Body kits--add-on components and replacements for a car's front and rear fascias and door sills--are often a good way for owners to make their vehicle stand out from the crowd. Often used on luxury brands and tuner cars, the updated looks are usually edgier and more aggressive than the factory...
John Voelcker -
Yes, Roof Boxes And Ski Racks Really Do Cut MPG—More Than You Might Think
If you follow our coverage on fuel efficiency, you know that real-world mileage numbers don't always measure up to the official EPA ratings. But if you think failing to meet those EPA numbers by five or ten percent is already a letdown, be very careful about your cargo-carrying expectations in your...
Bengt Halvorson -
First Body Kit For BMW i3 Electric Car: Looks Tougher, Probably Less Efficient
A BMW i3 body kit arguably looks good, but clashes with the car's mission.
Stephen Edelstein -
The 2015 Ford Mustang has a tricky job to do. Not only must it impress fans of previous Mustangs, but as sales expand into Europe it must become more efficient too. To that end Ford has installed a four-cylinder engine for the first time in many years, but it's also worked on aerodynamics--such as active grille shutters. When it arrives, the 2.3-liter EcoBoost model will play a middle ground between the thumping V-8 and entry-level V-6 models. But for customers wanting high performance with reasonable efficiency, it's sure to be the pick of the range--particularly for customers in markets...
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Is The BulletTruck What Semis Will Look Like In The Future?
Recently, we attracted flak from some quarters of our readership for featuring pickup trucks. While not green by the standards of modern electric vehicles and hybrids, their push towards greater efficiency is equally important--because the biggest gains come from the most popular and...
Antony Ingram -
Chevy Volt's Wind Thrumming Noise: Aero Fix Now Available
It's become a common part of road testing: Get the car up to speed, then roll down a window to see how bad the drumming and buffeting gets. Never experienced it? Try it on your own car sometime. Now, it turns out, there's an aerodynamic add-on fix available to cure the worst of the thrumming...
John Voelcker -
Want To Boost Gas Mileage? Remove That Bike Rack, Says Consumer Reports
If you're one of the millions of Americans preparing for your summer vacation, you might also be readying the family's bicycles for some exercise while you're away. Chances are, this involves some kind of roof-mounted bicycle rack for your car. And this can have a dramatic effect on your gas...
Antony Ingram -
University Of Michigan Solar Car Takes Sun Power To New Extremes
If you want to know why road-going electric vehicles aren't powered by solar panels mounted on the roof, here's your answer. Technically it's feasible, but you'd have to do without amenities, comfort, performance, or indeed a vehicle which doesn't look like an asymmetric air hockey table. The air...
Antony Ingram -
New Gas Mileage Rules Will Reshape What Americans Drive: Aerodynamics And Weight
No, we won't all be driving golf carts. In fact, as cars change over the next 12 years to meet much tougher fuel-economy rules, automakers will likely do their best to keep the changes invisible. Your next vehicles will deliver better gas mileage than ever before, no matter how large or small they...
John Voelcker -
There are many unusual things about the BMW i3 Concept electric minicar revealed last month, including its glass doors and roof, not to mention BMW's first production battery-electric powertrain. But the BMW i3 is also at the leading edge of another efficiency trend: tall, narrow tires that reduce the vehicle's wind resistance compared to the usual short, wide tires fitted to cars today. Fitting low-rolling-resistance tires to a line's most efficient models is now de rigeur. Over the years, these harder, lower-friction tires have gone through several generations, so that's today's versions...
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How Does Your New Car Get Better MPG Than Your Old One?
Almost every day we hear of a shiny new car that gets a certain number of miles to the gallon, a number often greater than its predecessor. It sometimes seems like witchcraft - until significant steps towards high-tech materials are taken, rarely do cars lose weight from one model to the next (with...
Antony Ingram -
Can 'Trailer Tails' Save A Semi 6 Percent Of Its Diesel Fuel?
One of the best ways to save a lot of fuel is to improve the efficiency of the lowest-mileage vehicles on the roads. Those include semis, which often get no more than 2 or 3 miles per gallon of diesel fuel. Their huge diesel engines must put out massive torque to tow one, two, or even three...
John Voelcker -
Toyota Adds Prius Plus Performance Package To Hot Up Hybrid Handling
Pretty much every Toyota Prius hybrid you see on the streets looks the same. Wild customization is generally limited to personalized plates that promote the driver's green credentials, solar panels, eco-living, or general hybrid luv-luv-LUV. That's about to change. Toyota announced today it will...
John Voelcker -
Active Shutters Helping 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco Reach 40 MPG
GM has one of the largest wind tunnel testing facilities in the world, in fact it is the largest used for automotive applications, so it’s only fitting that the company is applying knowledge learned in its wind tunnel to a much more diverse range of vehicles than its competitors. That’s right...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GM Boosting Fuel Economy With Louvered Grilles
When it comes to fuel economy, the powertrain is the first thing people think of when it comes time to improving it. After that it’s typically vehicle weight. However, one of the simplest and most effective ways of improving fuel economy is through aerodynamics. Everyone knows that the slipperier...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The Japanese auto show known as the Tokyo Auto Salon is full of as many customized cars--and just as much weirdness--as its domestic counterpart, the massive SEMA show in Las Vegas. And just as it did at SEMA, with its Aerius and Aemulus customized Prius concepts, Toyota brought a factory custom to the Tokyo Auto Salon. In this case, it's the 2010 Toyota Prius G Sports Concept. It's a conversion that will actually be sold through Toyota dealers to "customers who strongly desire to own a unique vehicle." The modifications include sports suspension, racing seats, and aerodynamics parts...
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Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Accessories For Your Toyota Prius
The huge SEMA show, mecca of car modifications from awful to awesome, now attracts even manufacturers, who commission custom versions of production cars in hopes that hotness will rub off on them. Even Toyota showed the Prius Aerius and Aemulus this year. But the real action is in the aftermarket...
John Voelcker -
Final Aptera 2e Styling Leaked, We Drive the Electric 3-Wheeler
To green-car fans, the idea of an ultra-aerodynamic electric two-seater sounds pretty familiar, right? Think the late, lamented EV1 from General Motors, subject of the controversial documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car? But for more than 4,000 people who've put down deposits on the 2011 Aptera...
John Voelcker -
30 Days of the 2010 Toyota Prius: Day 8, Body and Aerodynamics
It may look the same, but every facet of the 2010 Toyota Prius shape has been improved, all toward lowering air drag to improve mileage
John Voelcker