Times are tough for automobile manufacturers. Not only are they vulnerable to financial crisis, they also have to face the ever tightening emission and fuel efficiency requirements. While several technologies were developed rapidly to jack up the power produced by an engine, little was done to improve fuel efficiency until gas prices started skyrocketing. So until Electric vehicles and other forms of energy take over, the mighty internal combustion engine will rule. Everything is being done to extract the maximum from every drop of fuel.
Downsizing, forced induction, hybrids, brake energy regeneration, electric power steering, lighter vehicles are all regular these days. Aerodynamics is one of those fields and overcoming air resistance is one primary objective. So every minute detail is being meticulously designed these days and purposeless holes are closed to avoid unnecessary drag. Chevrolet have gone one step ahead and shut off the lower radiator grille on the Cruze Eco when not needed. By doing so, the boffins at Chevrolet have been able to stretch the range of the Cruze Eco by 0.5 mpg to 40mpg. May not be much but these days, even 0.5mpg is an achievement. So how does the system work? Hit the jump for the explanation, video and press release.
An expert in aerodynamics would tell you that drag in the first obstruction to a moving object (neglecting friction here). So, the smoother the object, more efficiently it plunges through air. Closing any small hole/air pocket will reduce drag by a considerable extent. By closing the lower air intake on the Cruze Eco, Chevrolet engineers have managed to reduce drag by 0.016 and increase fuel efficiency by 0.5 miles per gallon. The reduction in the coefficient of drag (Cd) is considerable when you consider that the Cd of the Cruze 0.31
The system uses a shutter type grille, much like air conditioner vents that can shut completely. In the Cruze Eco, motors operate the shutters. The motor is in turn controlled by sensors. Crucially, the shutter plays an important role in cooling the Cruze’s engine. So when the engine temperature is low (when engine is not up to its normal operating range) or when the vehicle is travelling at a fairly high speed, the shutters close reducing drag. However, when the sensors detect higher engine temperatures, they open to allow air to cool the engine. At lower speeds, the amount of air entering the engine bay is less so the shutter is open up to a specific speed. This is also called active aerodynamics as the shape of the vehicle changes in real time.
info from Auto Tech Blog
Downsizing, forced induction, hybrids, brake energy regeneration, electric power steering, lighter vehicles are all regular these days. Aerodynamics is one of those fields and overcoming air resistance is one primary objective. So every minute detail is being meticulously designed these days and purposeless holes are closed to avoid unnecessary drag. Chevrolet have gone one step ahead and shut off the lower radiator grille on the Cruze Eco when not needed. By doing so, the boffins at Chevrolet have been able to stretch the range of the Cruze Eco by 0.5 mpg to 40mpg. May not be much but these days, even 0.5mpg is an achievement. So how does the system work? Hit the jump for the explanation, video and press release.
An expert in aerodynamics would tell you that drag in the first obstruction to a moving object (neglecting friction here). So, the smoother the object, more efficiently it plunges through air. Closing any small hole/air pocket will reduce drag by a considerable extent. By closing the lower air intake on the Cruze Eco, Chevrolet engineers have managed to reduce drag by 0.016 and increase fuel efficiency by 0.5 miles per gallon. The reduction in the coefficient of drag (Cd) is considerable when you consider that the Cd of the Cruze 0.31
The system uses a shutter type grille, much like air conditioner vents that can shut completely. In the Cruze Eco, motors operate the shutters. The motor is in turn controlled by sensors. Crucially, the shutter plays an important role in cooling the Cruze’s engine. So when the engine temperature is low (when engine is not up to its normal operating range) or when the vehicle is travelling at a fairly high speed, the shutters close reducing drag. However, when the sensors detect higher engine temperatures, they open to allow air to cool the engine. At lower speeds, the amount of air entering the engine bay is less so the shutter is open up to a specific speed. This is also called active aerodynamics as the shape of the vehicle changes in real time.
info from Auto Tech Blog