What is it about?
This paper aims to provide an overview of the evolution of aerodynamic research in the automotive industry, with a particular focus on solutions designed to reduce aerodynamic drag. Special attention has been given to realistic car models and production vehicles.
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Why is it important?
The aim of this review is to highlight the efficiency gains achievable in different areas of vehicle aerodynamics. However, their effectiveness in mitigating the environmental impact of transport is marginal. The point is that aerodynamic research results are overwhelmed by market logic: the growing popularity of large and heavy vehicles (so-called "SUVisation") is driven by consumer preferences, marketing strategies, and profit margins rather than environmental considerations.
Perspectives
If the goal is to make the private automotive sector more sustainable, reducing the prevalence of large, heavy vehicles such as SUVs should be mandatory. At the same time, we should encourage the design of smaller, lighter cars.
Prof. Silvia Ravelli
Universita degli Studi di Bergamo
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: An Overview of Drag Reduction Methods in Road Cars, Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, January 2026, Tsinghua University Press,
DOI: 10.32604/fdmp.2026.075225.
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