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Re:Tesla Roadster by mjamil on Thursday October 15, 2026 @11:23PM (#50113636)
Using suction to create downforce is an idea that’s been built for race track usage in the past (and been successful in F1 in the ‘70s), but the near certainty of mortal injury from the system failing (and thus destabilizing the vehicle at high speed) made it unpopular and its incorporation has been very limited (McLaren and Ariel did versions, I think). I’m confused how this has (or will pass) regulatory approval for road use. Is the idea that the driver should only utilize this on a track?
Re:Tesla Roadster by modeless on Thursday October 15, 2026 @11:37PM (#50113763)
I think others have used a skirt that needs to extend quite close to the ground to work, so uneven ground can cause sudden loss of suction. Maybe this is solvable somehow?

I'm more worried about the COPVs exploding in a crash, for the thruster version. Hopefully it will keep the tanks empty unless a special launch mode is enabled with appropriate large warnings.

Re:Tesla Roadster by carlosjobim on Friday October 16, 2026 @12:24AM (#50114060)
Are they worse than a gasoline tank exploding?
Re:Tesla Roadster by margalabargala on Friday October 16, 2026 @12:56AM (#50114248)
Very much so. A gasoline tank creates a fireball but not an explosion.
Re:Tesla Roadster by carlosjobim on Friday October 16, 2026 @08:19AM (#50117480)
And this Tesla would then have air tanks going flying at explosive speeds, if I understand things correctly?
Re:Tesla Roadster by ceejayoz on Friday October 16, 2026 @09:37AM (#50118246)
Yes. Inside the car.

This doesn't tend to end well. https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/...

Re:Tesla Roadster by modeless on Friday October 16, 2026 @12:28AM (#50114079)
Yes.
Re:Tesla Roadster by emkoemko on Friday October 16, 2026 @12:43AM (#50114171)
gasoline tanks explode? how ... ?
Re:Tesla Roadster by Paradigma11 on Friday October 16, 2026 @06:55AM (#50116823)
What movie physics are you referring to?
Re:Tesla Roadster by 233mhz on Friday October 16, 2026 @05:20AM (#50116083)
> Maybe this is solvable somehow?

Why would you solve that? Open roads aren't a track, we don't build highways with 90 degree turns, there is no need for such thing

Re:Tesla Roadster by emkoemko on Friday October 16, 2026 @12:41AM (#50114163)
what about like a countless random debris on the road? wouldn't that get sucked up and damage the fan?
Re:Tesla Roadster by simondotau on Friday October 16, 2026 @01:36AM (#50114480)
> I’m confused how this has (or will pass) regulatory approval for road use.

It won't.

And this is also true of being able to go over 90 MPH, despite many sports/premium cars touting an ability to reach a top speed above 150 MPH. Some cars come with "Donut" or drift modes. Donuts and drifting are definitely not road legal actions. These, and many other capabilities of sports cars, are obviously for track use only. These Roadster gimmicks are no different.

Re:Tesla Roadster by sschueller on Friday October 16, 2026 @02:01AM (#50114647)
Re:Tesla Roadster by rasz on Friday October 16, 2026 @05:07AM (#50115976)
The "base" model will pretty much be McMurtry Spéirling at promised quarter of the price.
Re:Tesla Roadster by bradlys on Friday October 16, 2026 @03:05AM (#50115097)
Probably allowed outside of California.

The suction system is interesting. It's possible for it to work on the street but incredibly dumb. The kind of gap you have to keep is millimeters off the ground and your typical streets in the real world have so much damage and inconsistency it's hard to imagine it working for anything but straight line acceleration on a newly paved road. This would be a suicide mission to drive this on Skyline with the expectation to get 2-3g in the bends.

The concerns about debris and so forth are somewhat valid but can be taken care of. Similar to dust collectors for woodworking - this will have a cyclone separator, mesh, and whatnot that will prevent the blades from getting wrecked by a rock. But wouldn't want to tail this thing. It'll be pelting your car.

It'll be another "car goes really fast in a straight line" feature which electric cars have always done well with. While it'd be cool to use the suction system to get incredible g forces in bends - it'll be too dangerous for public roads. You'd immediately fly off the road if you lost any suction and I don't know what public roads (especially in the Bay Area) you could run such a system reliably on.

Re:Tesla Roadster by fooker on Saturday October 17, 2026 @04:34AM (#50129099)
> You'd immediately fly off the road if you lost any suction

This is why it was banned in F1 cars.

Re:Tesla Roadster by thrance on Friday October 16, 2026 @05:45AM (#50116286)
> I’m confused how this has (or will pass) regulatory approval for road use.

Corruption? Musk is already down a quarter of a billions in donations to the GOP for these incoming elections.