4 ms·

You can't make a car with low drag without it being a hatchback. And low drag is key to reasonable battery size.

reportingsjr 11y ago
Yep, the design is called a K-tail. I've really started getting used to it and don't mind it at all any more.
manav 11y ago
True. Some design elements still seem strange to me, but perhaps it was optimized for efficiency?. There is no front grille for instance. While there is no need for one on an electric car, the Tesla still has an indent for one.
- Corrado 11y ago
  I think part of the front end design was shaped by laws requiring a human safe zone in the front of the car. My understanding is that every car on the road must not push a human under the car but up and over the hood. Maybe that's why the front end has that indent.
aerovistae 11y ago
I believe you, but can you provide a source or explanation for that insight?
- cheald 11y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback#Aerodynamics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback#Aerodynamics
- dingaling 11y ago
  The optimum subsonic shape is a hemisperhical nose with a long tail tapering to a point ( like an ice-cream cornette on its side, with the dome of ice-cream heading into the wind ). The K-tail is an abbreviation of that impractical-for-cars long tail which gives most of the effect for much less effort. The Tatra T77 was an attempt to implement the optimum form though even then the tail was somewhat abbreviated: http://tatra77.com/ http://tatra77.com/
  - aaimnr 11y ago
    Drop of water is the best comparison, as its shape is a direct result of aerodynamic optimisation.
    - ino 11y ago
      The drop of water is not teardrop shaped. http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/articles/shape-of-a-raindrop http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/articles/shape-of-a-raindrop http://water.usgs.gov/edu/raindropshape.html http://water.usgs.gov/edu/raindropshape.html
CamperBob2 11y ago
It's a shame it's not a hatchback. It looks like it would make a very natural one.

Yep, the design is called a K-tail. I've really started getting used to it and don't mind it at all any more.

manav 11y ago

True. Some design elements still seem strange to me, but perhaps it was optimized for efficiency?. There is no front grille for instance. While there is no need for one on an electric car, the Tesla still has an indent for one.

Corrado 11y ago
I think part of the front end design was shaped by laws requiring a human safe zone in the front of the car. My understanding is that every car on the road must not push a human under the car but up and over the hood. Maybe that's why the front end has that indent.

aerovistae 11y ago

I believe you, but can you provide a source or explanation for that insight?

cheald 11y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback#Aerodynamics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammback#Aerodynamics
dingaling 11y ago
The optimum subsonic shape is a hemisperhical nose with a long tail tapering to a point ( like an ice-cream cornette on its side, with the dome of ice-cream heading into the wind ). The K-tail is an abbreviation of that impractical-for-cars long tail which gives most of the effect for much less effort. The Tatra T77 was an attempt to implement the optimum form though even then the tail was somewhat abbreviated: http://tatra77.com/ http://tatra77.com/
- aaimnr 11y ago
  Drop of water is the best comparison, as its shape is a direct result of aerodynamic optimisation.
  - ino 11y ago
    The drop of water is not teardrop shaped. http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/articles/shape-of-a-raindrop http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/articles/shape-of-a-raindrop http://water.usgs.gov/edu/raindropshape.html http://water.usgs.gov/edu/raindropshape.html

CamperBob2 11y ago

It's a shame it's not a hatchback. It looks like it would make a very natural one.