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AeroMods: DIY Aerodynamic Improvements to Cars

Hypermilers get hypercompetitive

By Rain Noe - February 15, 2019

in Cars | DIY

"Hypermiling" is the practice of saving gas by driving conservatively. Practitioners accelerate slowly, coast wherever possible, and let physics do most of the braking for them. Ardent hypermilers can improve fuel economy by absurd amounts, wringing 62.7 mpg from a 25 mpg car, for example.

This gamification of fuel economy has led fanatics to create DIY aerodynamic modifications. Cardboard, plastic, bondo, duct tape and more are pressed into service:

Spotted on Popular Mechanics: Jason Ebacher

Spotted on VW Vortex

Spotted on Cool Things: Darin Cosgrove

Spotted on AeroCivic

Spotted on Ecomodder: Metro MPG

Spotted on Ecomodder: 3-Wheeler

I think these would actually make great Industrial Design student projects. Professors who believe in their students could offer up their own personal cars, and maybe save some gas money!

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Rod Parker-Rees

5 years ago

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Parking?

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Jomy Muttathil

5 years ago

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This reminds me of the Aptera electric car which had a long pointy tail.

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paul beard

5 years ago

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wunibald_Kamm deserves better than this. Do these geniuses really think they can outsmart Toyota or Honda engineers with wind tunnels and every other tool needed to tame turbulence?

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Ray Jepson

5 years ago

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1. The reason so many cars have that chopped off tear drop shape is it's actually nearly as efficient as a full tear drop. These add-ons probably loose the efficiency they gain in aerodynamics to added weight.

2. These are small light cars. A big added surface like these probably makes them blow around on the highway when it's windy. I wouldn't feel safe driving it.

In brief, A for effort, D- for the idea.

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- Daniel Erwin
  
  Ray Jepson
  
  5 years ago
  
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  Totally agree. Read up on Fuller's Dymaxion Car - he had the idea way back in the '30s, but it hasn't been acted on because it "was highly unsuitable for anything but low speeds" according to wikipedia.
  Maybe if it can fold up for parking and when I want to drive faster, these could be practical.
  Which reminds me - what about the Trailer Tail you sometimes see on big rigs on the freeway? Why isn't this fold-up apporoach used for smaller cars? My guess is that it would be available to buy online unless it just doesn't save that much fuel.
  But i was surprised google showed me this simpler approach that just requires small additions to create vorticies - anybody want to wager whether that's real or just snake oil?
  
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  - Daniel Erwin
    
    Daniel Erwin
    
    5 years ago
    
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    Apparently this comment system just allows one link per reply. The simpler approach is AirTab
    
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Jason Pokines

5 years ago

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You saw that Jalopnik article yesterday too, eh? ;)

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Kyle Wolfe

5 years ago

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Are there any numbers on the before and after to these modifications? Is it really worth it?

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