The MINDDRIVE class received a Lotus Esprit and plan to use its frame for the future two-seater electric MINDDRIVE car.

Written by Elias Joseph Williams, Student at Lincoln Prep Academy

Knighten drives down the backstretch.

The Aerodynamics of any car are usually overlooked by consumers, but they play an important role in how a car drives and looks. The MINDDRIVE car’s “swoopy” sleek design isn’t just for show, it serves as an aerodynamic exoskeleton for maximum efficiency.

This year’s car weighs about 1100lbs, goes about 60 mph and is planned to go 100 miles on a charge (that’s 499kg, 97kph and 161km). Without the proper shape none of these goals would be reached. An Indy Car is one of the most aerodynamic machines on the road today, and that is the base for our electric MINDDRIVE car. Indy Cars can cut through the air at 200mph (322kph) like a steak knife through butter. Its body is somewhat useless at slow speeds like say 60mph, our car’s predetermined top speed. To make the car as efficient as possible we had to eliminate the resistance of the down force that the Indy Car was made to generate, so, we built around it.

Using steel rods and some industrial shrink wrap the first car’s trademark transparent skin was born. Because we plan to drive this car on a public highway at 60mph we will need a tougher, more sturdy material to protect from bugs and other objects.

“Road ready.” Those two words have shaped the whole process of building this year’s car. If you look at the differences between this year and last year’s car you will see that this year’s has a more futuristic and also realistic look. With the new material, whatever that may be, it will look even more contoured and like a car you might see on the road in 5 or so years. All of the hours of sketching and designing and welding and building on this car’s exterior have been because of aerodynamics. Getting the downward and upward forces into equilibrium add fuel efficiency to the car, making the car go farther on a charge. The epitome of aerodynamic shapes for a car or any moving object is called the Morelli shape, and although you may not have heard of it, you’ve seen it. It’s a teardrop.

Its shape is ideal for any speed and its coefficient of drag (COD) is .04 which is easily considered the best. Coefficient of drag is an equation combining aerodynamics and friction, the lower the number the better. For example: a 2003 Hummer H2 has a COD of 0.57, whereas a 2010 Toyota Prius has one of 0.25.  Aerodynamics is a very complex yet simple science. Studying the movement of fluids around an object has been one of the many highlights of these summer classes. It is an underrated element when it comes to car buying but that still doesn’t diminish the fact that car companies hire people specifically for developing the most efficient, aerodynamic bodies. We may not have that perfect shape but with all the time and effort put into this project we will come away with more knowledge.

Elias Joseph Williams