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It is not clear to me how putting the batteries behind the riders rather than under them makes for a shorter wheelbase. The article mentions a lower height, whi
by mannykannot 5y ago
It is not clear to me how putting the batteries behind the riders rather than under them makes for a shorter wheelbase. The article mentions a lower height, which presumably reduces aerodynamic drag, all else being equal.
Maybe it is a matter of getting a good compromise between wheelbase, drag and center of gravity height?
Update - more on that here:
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2021/09/heres-how-lotus-is-going-to-build-lightweight-electric-sports-cars/?comments=1&post=40256412 https://arstechnica.com/cars/2021/09/heres-how-lotus-is-goin...
- poniko 5y agoYou want a low center of gravity but also weight in the center of the 4 wheels of car, that's why most sports cars nowadays are 'mid-engine'. Weight in the center helps in turns since the car wants to rotate around itself.
- hinkley 5y agoSmaller moment of inertia at the same weight.
- rbanffy 5y ago> The article mentions a lower height There’s also an emotional component in the difference in perception of driving at 250 Km/h on a BMW 750 or in a Lotus where your seat is hugging the road under you.
- giantg2 5y agoMy understanding is that the skateboard would have to be too thick to fit within the shorter wheelbase, substantially raising the occupants, etc. I think this also plays into the chassis design since they say they can build the "chest" design as part of the chassis. I think the skateboard requires more of a traditional body on frame. This is sort of a guess though, but slightly based off of the explanation of how they designed the chassis of the C7 Corvette to be light and more rigid. Edit: thanks for the additional link