New invention could benefit RVers.
A Highland Park Illinois teenager has invented a device which can increase our fuel economy by 10% to 20%. Read the Scientific American article here.
Forum Discussion
Popsie wrote:
Anyone who has worked in a wind tunnel studying ground vehicles has seen how much drag can be affected by the shapes of the front and back, extraneous items like air conditioners or rear view mirrors, windows (compare a school buses windows to a passenger plane) the ground clearance and smoothness of the underside, etc. etc. PS eleven degrees is a magic number :)
Aerodynamics is the secret to getting good fuel economy.
Saab-Scania was an aircraft manufacturer that diversified just after WW-II and started building automobiles that were designed in a wind tunnel; imagine a 5 passenger sedan with a 3 cylinder engine that got 30+ MPG, cruising at 70 MPH.
Side bar:
The Saab Model 37 is still the only STOL Mach II+ fighter-bomber.
Now imagine a 26 ft motorhome that got 16 MPG using the Oldsmobile Toronado drive train (the Olds got around 8 MPG).
1971 Travco.
