Aerodynamics is key to ensure not only great performance, but also maximum stability. Car manufacturers seek the best aerodynamic coefficient through formulas and shapes. Porsche has found a very interesting key for its future models, controlling the vibrations of the bodywork.
Aerodynamics is key in all new models. Car brands invest billions of euros to achieve the lowest drag coefficients and the least resistance at high speed, which will translate into great performance and lower fuel consumption, losing up to 10% efficiency in combustion models and up to 50% in electric models.
Today, one of these lower values in production models is held by the Mercedes EQS with a reduced 0.20x, and among the concept cars the Vision EQXX with a Cd value of 0.17, the same as that of the new LightYear 0 , the solar car. That of the Porsche Taycan is 0.22x. The electric car of the sports brand has been the subject of a detailed study in collaboration with experts from the University of Stuttgart to reduce this value as much as possible whenever possible. And one of the conclusions they have reached in their studies focuses on the body vibrations.
The aerodynamics of future Porsches will be based on vibrations
A technology unprecedented and never explored, in which the German sports brand is working seriously and conscientiously to be able to apply it to its future electric models. The Porsche Taycan prototype has been fitted with a series of speakers to produce vibrations in certain areas of the bodywork. Andreas Wagner, Holder of the Chair for Automotive Engineering at the University of Stuttgart, explained that the fact applying vibrations on the bodywork, and at very specific points, allows the air flow to be separated of the bodywork.
But there are two big problems in this question. The first is that those vibrations they cannot alter the interior comfort typical of Porsche, passengers should not feel the vibrations or noise caused by them. The second, the terrible difficulty of producing and controlling those vibrations at the key moment when it is necessary to reduce the aerodynamic coefficient and resistance, since the conditions are absolutely variable.
What they have shown is that this system works. In one of the Porsche SUVs, which they do not mention, they have managed reduce the Cd value by seven percent using this method. It will be impossible to reach the lowest aerodynamic coefficient, since its value is only 0.05 and it is that of a drop of water. Its shape is round at the front and conical at the back. A shape that, today, is impossible to achieve in a production model and is more typical of a concept, since in this way the placement of the engine, the passenger compartment and the cargo area have to be integrated.