The Low Down On Green Living
May 20th, 2009
Back to Basics: Aerocivic Gets Website
Stumble it!
Written by Christopher DeMorro, courtesy of Gas2.0
Jeremy Clarkson, the outspoken host of Britain’s Top Gear auto show, made a spectacle of racing a Prius vs. a BMW M3, in which the latter recieved better gas mileage. His point was that is isn’t what you drive, but how you drive. Nothing emphasizes this idea more than the Aerocivic, a simple yet highly publicized Civic whose owner, Mike Turner, utilized basic hypermilling techniques such as coasting down hills and shutting off his engine at stop lights to maximize fuel usage. He then took his very basic car a step further by applying an aerodynamic body kit to reduce drag at high speeds, and now he is using the power of the Interweb to give further insight into the how and why of his car, the Aerocivic.
Turner details the cost of improvements to his 1992 Civic DX, such as the boat tail, smaller side view mirrors, and lower nose, all of which work to lower the drag coefficient, thus allowing the car to slide through the air easier and using less power and petrol. Turner says he spent only $400 improving the fuel efficiency of his car, which has been the subject of many stories already, and on a level road going 65 mph he claims to get 95 miles per gallon.
The website is very informational and also details where Mike got his influences, such as homemade aircraft and the 1939 Maybach Stromlinienkarosserie. The little details like the sealed panel gaps and windshield wiper deflectors help greatly in reducing drag, you can really appreciate the thought that went into this car. It is a really great read and contains some good ideas for your own Aero-car project, so make sure you check out the Aerocivic website.
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Comments
Charles Henderson
May 27th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Kinda of funky looking but I understand achieving 95 mpg is going to take a shift in design and style. After $4.00 plus a gallon gas last year and ever increasing evidence that our dependence on cardon fuels is having a significant impact on our environment, I believe I can go “funky” and Green!
John Mustol
May 27th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
I am skeptical of the 95 mph claim. Nevertheless, this shows that with aerodynamic design, reduced weight and power, and, even without hybrid technology, substantial improvement in mileage are possible. An inexpensive lightweight, low-powered production car capable of 60+ mph city/hwy should be quickly and easily possible by auto manufacturers. I am one potential customer. Why do they not produce them?
Annie in TX
May 27th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
I too am skeptical. It seems strange that the billion dollar auto industry can’t achieve a car that gets 40 mpg, yet, here is someone who pastes and glues a few items onto his car and gets greater than 70 mpg all for under $400. Hmmmm. I am more impressed that Mr. Turner has a 92 car with over 350,000 miles and it still goes 90 mph. I’m guessing Mr. Turner must be an engineer and this is not something the common person could achieve.
Russ
May 31st, 2009 at 7:07 am
This has been possible for a long time. Do not be skeptical of the 95 mpg claim. The issue for the auto industry has been a willingness to shop this type of vehicle around. They still have to balance the mpg against style and performance that customers will buy. As yet they have been unable or unwilling to play a part in creating a demand for efficient vehicles. Only when the price of gasoline hit $4.00+ a gallon did this idea look appealing to many people.
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