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2009 Progress Highlights
Perspective and Retrospective
The first few months of 2008 were spent preparing for and exhibiting at the New York Auto Show. By April we decided to make some changes to the fuselage shape for both the ElectriCar and the AirCar. We spent the rest of 2008 on these fuselage changes. These included increasing the headroom and hip room in the rear seat area, raising the tops of the doors and moving the front of the front doors forward to increase the access room, and shortening the fuselage from 200 inches to 180 inches. We also completed an interior ergonomics study that confirmed the new fuselage shape would provide adequate room for a 6 ft 3 in adult male in the front seat and a 6 ft adult male in the rear seat. The last quarter of the year was spent completing the CFD analysis of the new ElectriCar and AirCar, and beginning work on the patterns for the new fuselage, canards, wings and wheel pants.
January 2009
The patterns for the fuselage, canards, wings & wheel pants were CNCd. An initial mold of the fuselage was completed so work on the frame & suspension could begin.
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February 2009
A second set of molds to be used in the creation of the vehicle skins was completed, including molds for wings, canards & wheel pants. Work has begun on creating the prototype skins.
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March 2009
The prototype skins for the fuselage, wings, canards & wheel pants have been completed. These will be used to actually make the door cuts, insert window recesses, door handles, lighting fixture cavities and the license plate fixture. An initial frame mockup has been created, which enables us to define suspension mounting points, and allows the creation of the suspension.
April 2009
Work on the fuselage prototype skin continues. Indentations for the windows, hood opening and brake light have been created. The doors were cut out of the fuselage and door frames were completed. The suspension is nearing completion.
May 2009
The fuselage prototype doors are complete with hinges, latches and final fitting. Window molds and samples were sent to the glass manufacturers. The initial front and rear cage frames along with the suspension are complete. Work will now begin on the remainder of the steel frame.
June 2009
Work continues on the frame, prototype skin and windows. To verify and optimize the aerodynamic drag of the front wheels, wheel pants and suspension arms, they were mounted on a sliding rail on a rack inside the nose cone that was mounted above a pickup. The unit was driven at 70 MPH with a scale indicating the amount of aerodynamic drag. It was determined that 1) the original wheel pant provided 25% less drag than the newer design, and 2) placing aerodynamic covers over the a-arms reduced the drag another 15%, to 28 lbs total aerodynamic drag at 70 MPH, for the complete left and right front suspension .
July, August & September 2009
Work continues on the frame and prototype skin. The prototype skins are essentially complete. The first fuselage skin was created to allow fine-tuning of the frame. The transmission gears have been created and transmission case plug is ready to be cast from aluminum. The transmission case holds three electric motors and a yet-to-be-selected engine. Two motors drive the vehicle under normal conditions, with the third motor helping with acceleration, and also able to be driven by the engine to generate electricity while en route. The initial set of Lithium batteries has been purchased, and consist of four packs of eight batteries, about 15 kWh.
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October 2009
The motor and transmission unit is complete. We expect shortly to take delivery of the first set of fiberglass components and frame, which will allow us to mount the wheels and suspension on the vehicle.
November 2009
We have taken delivery of the frame and first set of fiberglass skins, on which we will mount the suspension.
December 2009
The exterior and suspension are nearing completion. New doors with hinges and exterior latches are mounted. Suspension is complete except for shocks and anti-sway bars. Once the lights are installed the exterior will be ready for final sanding and painting.
