Aerodynamic Design Optimization of Electric Vehicles Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Enhancing aerodynamic performance is vital for reducing battery weight and cost, and for boosting the range of the vehicle. Aerodynamics in electric vehicles is crucial at highway speeds as over 50 percent of energy is spent on pushing the air away. The optimization of drag and lift is carried out with the addition of aerodynamic accessories that include an air dam and a rear spoiler using computational fluid dynamic model. The rear spoiler is used to diminish the amount of drag force and create downforce on the body of an electric vehicle. Additionally, the rear spoiler’s angle is varied, and a comparative study of the vehicle’s drag and lift forces is performed. The addition of an air dam created additional down force on the vehicle, resulting in improved traction and stability. The air dam also creates a local high-pressure air zone that is used to direct airflow to the battery and evenly cool it. This is accomplished using a hexagonal honeycomb structure, which creates a uniform, streamlined flow of air to the car’s underbody. Along with the honeycomb structures, fins were employed at the base of the battery, which enhanced the rate of convective heat from the battery to the air outside, resulting in improved air cooling of the battery. Diffusers were used at the rear of the vehicle to compensate for the higher drag resistance generated by the fins. This not only increases the battery’s life and performance but also improves the range of the electric vehicle by an appreciable amount.