I'm curious how the wheel placement changes the aerodynamic efficiency of the vehicle. Taking Aptera's current external wheel design, inside the footprint of the car. Some sort of pod that completely enclosed the wheel, except for the exposed tire footprint. You could pivot this half sphere pod without leaving the traditional air gap space for the wheels to rotate, reducing drag. You could conceal a channel interior to the vehicle structure to rotate with the pod when the wheel pivots, for power/hydraulics. And maybe even do something like magnetic steering and/or suspension of this half sphere pod. Also, I heard them talking about torque vectoring, possibly removing the "need" for traditional steering. I'm wondering if that would ever become a reality? Or if it would require a back up "power independent" system like the "dumb" traditional disc brakes, in the regenerative breaking discussion?
top of page
bottom of page
@retmil91 Sure, but that's not the ONLY design goal. Most efficient would be as light as possible, regardless of safety. It would have tandem seating & super-skinny, rare, LRR tires that don't accelerate or corner well. Etc.
Aptera's modular design should make it reasonably quick/easy/cheap to make a version that isn't illegal in EU, by "just" shortening the suspension arms, with some combination to prevent body/pant contact (slightly bigger turning radius &/or wheel pants that are slightly shorter front-to-back).
The wheel spacing is for aerodynamics and is worth the 10% reduction in drag. Remember, design goal here is MOST EFFICIENT use of resources. And yes, we are way past the point any change in design such as suggested could be incorporated in the Aptera. Let's enthusiastically support the current design through earliest possible production
Could the pants and/or skirt be fitted with Plexiglas/Lexan panel(s) to allow a proud owner to show off the custom wheels they might purchase from you or an after market supplier?
@DanQ OH! So maybe their "over 10%" drag reduction from the excess width is partly because it allows longer, more aero wheel pants, which would hit the fuselage if the track width was narrowed.
I also think the wheels are too far apart. Other 3 wheel vehicles that have seats for two people side by side like the Vanderhall Edison2 is 68.9” wide, Morgan 3 wheeler that’s been around for 100years is 68.4” wide. I think the Aptera original dimensions are used in the current model (88”) wide, while the earlier fuel ones had higher centre of gravity than now, the new electric ones now have a lower centre of gravity with the wheel motors and battery.
The Aptera looks great as it is, but l think to change the width of the current one would probably be to great to totally design it at this time.
I just looked it up, the delta wing was 78.7" wide, but it was a single seater.
I'm not sure the wheels "need" to be 88" wide just for stability. IMHO, I think the reason they are so wide is to allow the aerodynamic wheel pants to turn to full lock without contacting the body. If they move the wheels closer, the body would be notched for clearance, affecting the laminar airflow around an un-notched body shape, increasing drag. If they left the backside of the wheels unfaired, it would allow narrowing the track, but again, increase the drag from the exposed wheel.
Well one set of the wheels need to be wide for stability...referencing the Nissan DeltaWing.
The wheels need to be spaced wide for stability. Not AS wide as they are now spaced for "over 10%" aero improvement, but still outside the relatively narrow body.
Torque vectoring was discussed as an option to POWER steering. Personally I would chose neither. There are much heavier cars with GREAT unpowered steering.