BenW’s blog

New Concept car

Mar 23, 2009
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New pretty images, just toying with solidworks trying to get better at it and came up with this design:

Yes I know it looks like the aptera, its not intentional just makes sense with the design constraints. I wonder if they used the same reasoning as me (and it's more then just for aerodynamics)

I've Discovered the beauty of PhotoWorks...

Mar 17, 2009
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I'll try and upload new full car renditions like this!

PhotoWorksTest2

New Canopy today!

Mar 15, 2009
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Here's some eye candy!

I need to make a small change in the front of the car to improve aerodynamics slightly, but in general the profile of the car is starting to come to shape. Hopefully this week I will be able to get some research on safety glass and viable alternatives. I need to look into the feasibility of this canopy and the costs of having it custom fabricated.

Sidewalls added!

Mar 12, 2009
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Finally decided how to do the sidewalls. They significantly add to the strength of the structure this way and will allow for additional functionality later on in design (wiring, ducting for air, speakers etc).

I still have yet to decide how I want to do the canopy of the car. I also need to figure out if I want to bother with adding a door or if I will just go with entering through the canopy. The side walls come to a total height of 32" off the ground which shouldn't be too difficult to swing a leg over, but I still have time to ponder what I want to do with that. I also came up with the idea that the canopy could be removable or perhaps the top panel of it.

Anyways here's the SS of it. Finally starting to look like a vehicle!

IsoViewFullCarVer6

New Full View

Mar 11, 2009
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New version has the chassis extension which will give the car the length it needs to achieve better aerodynamics. Side effect of having a bit more cargo room, but more weight to the frame and a bit more complexity for strength concerns.

I now have a pretty good mental idea on how I will continue to add doors and other features. More to come in the next few days!

IsoViewFullCarVer5

Enjoy!

Improved turning radius!

Mar 11, 2009
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New screenshot comprised of the whole package so far. It includes improvements that will allow for greater wheel movement so that the turning radius will not be so great.

IsoViewFullCarVer4

New Frame Version (again!)

Mar 10, 2009
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So I've learned a lot about constructing parts in Solidworks over the last few weeks and I decided to do a rebuild from scratch that would allow for easier updates in later designs without having to scratch the build altogether. Almost all geometries are based on relationships now and future changes will automatically update through the whole design.

This version is also now in inches now, due to the fact that the supplier said the panels that will be made in the US will be 4' x 8' instead of the 1200mm x 2400mm. This actually is a bit nicer to work with because the panels will be a tad bigger. Unfortunately I was not provided with a thickness, so I assumed a thickness of 1" in these panels, which will be a bit stronger then the 20mm version of the panel.

I also took the time to properly radius all arcs and tangent them to their surfaces in reflection of how this will be fabricated. This should greatly reduce any mishaps when it comes time to build this!

Here is a lone SS to show the improved work. I took the time to improve it's appearance in Solidworks so that it presents better for you.

IsoViewChassisVer3

In the previous version curves were made with fillets which isn't accurate to how this will be made. In this version the lines are much nicer. Enjoy!

New Rendition of the Frame

Mar 5, 2009
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Most of the frame is now complete. I still need to work out the left hand side for a door and I may need to make some changes to make a suitable canopy to body interface.

I also have a very close guestimate on the frontal area. Comes in at almost exactly one square meter.

Anyways... heres a couple photos!

Small Design Update

Mar 4, 2009
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I redid the entire front subframe compared to yesterday. I needed to make more room for the tires and clearance for turning. The new renders include some sample tires modeled on the Bridgestone B381 tire. I am using this tire for now for my designs because it is the lowest rolling resistance that I know of (.0065). Hopefully the Californian legislation requiring the documentation of manufacturers RRC will be present before I build this so I can make a more informed decision when buying my tires!

The current side view image is 2.4 meters long. The Final car will be around 3.4 meters (10 feet).

The rear wheel will be the drive wheel, but I need to research what sort of suspension I will use and how the motor will direct power to the wheel (if I do not find a suitable in-wheel hub motor).

Input is always welcome!

Here's some Links!

Mar 3, 2009
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So I thought it would be useful for a single post to manage all the sites and resources I come across to that others can quickly find them.

Materials:

Aluminum Panel Fabrication techniques

Aluminum Panel PDF and Supplier Info

Batteries:

ThunderSky Battery Supplier

Car Components:

Support Information:

TREV Homepage

Excel File used for Calculating Drivetrain Requirements - Extremely useful!

SolidWorks Component Database - Free Autocad designs!

Ecomodder - My inspiration and invaluable resource!

Misc:

Californian Study on Rolling Resistance - Great Read

http://www.carbibles.com/ Great General Mechanical Car Info

I'll add many more to this as I come across them and there are many more I haven't added yet just because I cannot remember them right now. Check back often! Misc: