Ever wondered electric car aerodynamics are so important? Or what lots of drag can do to your overall range? Our latest tech column has the answer:
Parasitic drag caused by the air gripping the surface of the car and trying to slow it down is fearsomely powerful, increasing by the square of the speed. Put simply, that means that doubling the speed requires four times the power to overcome the drag. Think, for a moment, how much effort goes into massaging the design of powertrains to extract more power, and all of a sudden the fuss made about aero makes more sense.
Because electric powertrains are so much more efficient than combustion engines, the contribution of aerodynamics to a car’s overall efficiency becomes even more alarming., drag accounts for 30% to 40% of losses in electric cars on the WLTP drive cycle, possibly rising to 50% in the real world. In comparison, losses due to drag account for just 10% of the overall losses in combustion-engine cars.
The good news is that EVs have several advantages over ICE cars in the aero department. One is that the power units generate far less heat to dispose of, and that means little or no airflow is needed through a radiator and engine bay. Another is that a lack of exhaust plumbing – and drivetrain components in some cases – means undersides are easier to make absolutely smooth. Increasing use of active aero devices, such as shutters, means that only the amount of air needed is allowed to flow over brake discs and radiators.
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