staff@slashgear.com (Shane Schmid)
2024-06-16 17:45:14
www.slashgear.com
Aerodynamics are important for vehicles in terms of efficiency. Wind resistance can have a major impact on traditional gasoline engines and EVs. According to Symulacfd.com, aerodynamic forces influence 8 to 12% of the overall fuel utilized during travel, especially at highway speeds. For an EV, instead of gasoline, air resistance would reduce total range. The Ioniq 6 is hardly the first vehicle to endure extensive wind tunnel testing, but Hyundai engineers went the extra mile striving for every bit of efficiency at wind speeds up to 124 mph.
One of the external features included in the Ioniq 6 is a system called active grille shutters. These are rectangular flaps that automatically open when the radiator needs cooling, and close when not needed to lower wind drag. This dual-purpose feature provides both temperature regulation and enhanced efficiency, without any driver interaction. While not a feature completely unique to the Ioniq 6, a greater emphasis on aerodynamics and technology like active grille shutters would be useful in more automobiles.