RedSnt@feddit.dk 1 week ago
This is the kind of silly design I was thinking of 25 years ago as I was cursing the headwind on the bikepath on my way home. Not the solar panel roof, but the windmill.
Doesn’t it generate too much drag to be of any use?
I think I’ve worked it out, after some discussion in another comment thread.
This contraption probably has a high centre of gravity and would tip over backwards if you accelerate too fast. They probably worked out a wind turbine on the top spreads the acceleration force and reduces this problem. The turbine is not for generating power, it has a motor and is used to give some thrust to the top.
I would think the drag is considerable.
I would also worry about stability in a strong side wind.
As a result, I would not like to ride the 2-wheeled version in strong side wind. The 3-wheeled version looks OK, but also suffers from drag.
Besides, to generate power from wind while parking, you would have to choose your parking direction. But you can’t always choose the parking direction - location dictates it often. That kind of a wind generator on a vehicle looks severely half-assed. They should have though two steps ahead.
you can gain energy while moving upwind, it makes more sense if you think about how boats can do a zig-zag to sail upwind (tacking).
Although the video they refer to in your link is about going faster than the wind in the direction of the wind, there is a cool explanation about tacking in it. Both great videos btw.
keepthepace@slrpnk.net 1 week ago
Yeah the turbine on top does not make sense while driving. It could be something used while it is parked.
Yes, there are contraptions that can extract energy from downwind or upwind vehicles. This is not one of those. On any decent road speed that thing will drag like hell.