Hinge design project was assigned today
Initial thought was charging configuration would be sideways (side hinges)
Assuming the panels have to stay on the car at some capacity, can we facilitate rotation for the trunk panel given what we’re hoping for our current trunk functionality (which is to act like a normal trunk)
How important is angled incidence in the overall big picture (does it give us a 0.5% boost in overall day charging?)
Should do the math to determine the significance
In terms of high-level strategy, what are the aero / dynamic tradeoffs due to side hinges (if any)?
2 options being considered
From a feasibility standpoint - the fewer hinges you have to make (especially consistency), the better
From a pure geometry standpoint, rear/trunk panel will want to hinge inwards vs. on the sides due to the hinge location being on a flat part vs. a curved part if it were hinged on the sides
What is easier to design?
Adrian recommends not following Minessota’s route - aka no hinges
Space for trunk hinges - would it be wide enough for the trunk panel to open trunk style?
Charging configurations are only practical if you have allocated charging times
Ideal choice: remove trunk + roof panels for charging
Rope Clarke + strategy in to learn about their charging models
Are there any