I am basing my question off this [image](https://study.com/cimages/multimages/16/dragcoefficients8851096396303799158.png)
Edit: Okay, okay, I should have said “teardrop” instead of “raindrop.” Talking about the *actual* shape of raindrops doesn’t really help given the visuals I provided.
In: 558
In addition to other answers here, cars don’t experience too much air resistance until 75-80, before then friction between the tires and street, along with inertia, dominate the energy required to move.
Along with everyone else’s points, keep in mind that topology plays a part. That raindrop is a single solid object whereas a car can have air got through the grill, engine bay, cabin, etc. The most aerodynamic solution becomes infinitely more complex based off that alone.
On top of that, there’s value in the air resistance. If you want performance, you need to generate downforce to stay on the road and maintain grip. If you don’t counter air resistance enough, at higher speeds, you’re losing grip, potentially lowering power output, potentially even generating some degree of lift which could lead to lack of control. In essence, the physics might say it’s a good idea, but the engineering and economics say it’s a bad idea.
mostly cause people don’t like the way they look.
but GM made a car called the [EV1](https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/gm-ev1-true-inside-story/) that looked like a teardrop in the 90s and i think it has the lowest drag of any production car in history.
nowadays car manufacturers are using tons of aero data to make cars super slippery AND still look relatively normal…without the ugly long tail.
oh yeah there’s another cool teardrop shaped car called the mclaren [speedtail](https://www.caranddriver.com/mclaren/speedtail) that’s designed to have low drag so it can go super fast.
you’ll also see some weirdos put big tails on their [regular](https://www.aerocivic.com/) cars to make them more efficient. they work, but i mean, do you really wanna drive around in something like that?
In addition to other answers here, cars don’t experience too much air resistance until 75-80, before then friction between the tires and street, along with inertia, dominate the energy required to move.
Along with everyone else’s points, keep in mind that topology plays a part. That raindrop is a single solid object whereas a car can have air got through the grill, engine bay, cabin, etc. The most aerodynamic solution becomes infinitely more complex based off that alone.
On top of that, there’s value in the air resistance. If you want performance, you need to generate downforce to stay on the road and maintain grip. If you don’t counter air resistance enough, at higher speeds, you’re losing grip, potentially lowering power output, potentially even generating some degree of lift which could lead to lack of control. In essence, the physics might say it’s a good idea, but the engineering and economics say it’s a bad idea.
Before the 1990’s cars were boxes with lots of sharp edges. Rounding the corners did a lot for aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, but other factors like safety and practicality are important. Having the motor at the front protects the passengers in a crash. Having a box shape means maximizing the internal volume compared to the “footprint” of the car. Holding more stuff and passengers compared to the size makes the car more efficient in a different way.
mostly cause people don’t like the way they look.
but GM made a car called the [EV1](https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/gm-ev1-true-inside-story/) that looked like a teardrop in the 90s and i think it has the lowest drag of any production car in history.
nowadays car manufacturers are using tons of aero data to make cars super slippery AND still look relatively normal…without the ugly long tail.
oh yeah there’s another cool teardrop shaped car called the mclaren [speedtail](https://www.caranddriver.com/mclaren/speedtail) that’s designed to have low drag so it can go super fast.
you’ll also see some weirdos put big tails on their [regular](https://www.aerocivic.com/) cars to make them more efficient. they work, but i mean, do you really wanna drive around in something like that?
Because a car, first and foremost, is designed to transport people and cargo. The most efficient shape for that is a box.
A car that is aerodynamically efficient but incapable of carrying people and cargo is a bad car.
Some supercars have that shape, but supercars are toy cars, not good cars.
Because a car, first and foremost, is designed to transport people and cargo. The most efficient shape for that is a box.
A car that is aerodynamically efficient but incapable of carrying people and cargo is a bad car.
Some supercars have that shape, but supercars are toy cars, not good cars.
Not an expert in aerodynamics, so this is just a half answer. There are other considerations in automotive aerodynamics other than drag.
Downforce is more important for performance at the speeds the cars drive at, as this lets the car grip the road better at higher speeds. Cars with strong downforce often have a rear end that is broad, close to the ground, but then slightly tapering upwards at the very end.
Air intake both to cool radiators and feed the engine is also very important and likely also changes design considerations. This could prevent a very low drag shape. A smooth shape allowing for laminar (smooth and regular) air flow might cause air to pass around an intake rather than be funneled into the intake. With a teardrop shape, the very front is perpendicular to airflow as it deflects air *around* the cross section of the bulk of the object. If an intake were placed on such a shape that is flush with the shape, the laminar air flow would travel perpendicular to the intake duct. If the intake were instead elevated off the surface of the object, then the intake would contribute to a new “front cross section” of the shape and nullify the advantage of the front of the teardrop deflecting the incoming air.
Some expensive automobiles that are marketed based on top-speed capability do have a bit more of a teardrop shape, such as the McLaren Speedtail.
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