South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group recently released an innovative technology – active air deflector (AAS) technology, designed to improve the cruising range and high-speed driving performance of its electric vehicles.
This technology deploys air deflectors behind the vehicle’s front bumper and close to the front wheels to reduce air turbulence caused by the wheels. The skirt automatically deploys when the vehicle speed exceeds 80 km/h and retracts when the vehicle speed falls below 70 km/h.
According to tests by Hyundai Motor, after using AAS technology on the Genesis GV60, the vehicle’s air resistance coefficient (Cd) was reduced by 0.008, which is equivalent to a 2.8% reduction in wind resistance.
As well as reducing wind resistance, Hyundai says the active air deflector technology also provides additional downforce, even at high speeds in excess of 200km/h. Generally speaking, many racing cars will also use similar aerodynamic designs to reduce airflow turbulence around the wheels. However, Hyundai plans to apply AAS technology to a variety of models.
In the electric vehicle market, any slight improvement in driving range is crucial. It is noticed that the Hyundai Ioniq 6 has adopted a series of technologies such as active air flaps, wheel hub curtains, wheel arch narrowers and rear spoilers to reduce the air resistance coefficient.
Currently, AAS technology is still in the research and development stage, and Hyundai Motor has applied for patents in South Korea and the United States. The company said it will “consider mass production” after completing durability and performance testing. Therefore, there is still some uncertainty as to whether this technology will eventually appear in mass-produced cars.
