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Advanced aerodynamics
Optimised airflow increases the range of electric vehicles. The area around the wheels contains several clever aerodynamic solutions.
1 The radiator shutter directs the airflow when cooling is not required.
2 An aerodynamically optimised front bumper prevents airflow separation.
3 Openings in the front bumper draw in air and create an air curtain.
4 A spoiler in front of the wheel directs the airflow away from the tyre tread.
5 Optimised lightweight alloy wheels with aerodynamic inserts.
Aerodynamics around the wheels is crucial. Effective airflow management in this area reduces energy consumption and extends the range of electric vehicles. That is why virtually all exterior parts of Škoda vehicles are developed with aerodynamics in mind.
The wheels and the area around them are a category of their own: they account for more than a quarter of the vehicle’s total aerodynamic drag. This is due both to the wheels rotating against the oncoming air and to the open space in the wheel arches, where the airflow becomes highly disturbed and loses energy, increasing drag.
Škoda Auto therefore relies on smart aerodynamic solutions. This can be observed on the Enyaq Coupé, the brand’s most aerodynamic production model to date.
How it works
1 The open sections of rotating alloy wheels tend to draw air in and set it swirling. To limit this effect, Škoda Auto uses aerodynamically optimised wheels with minimal open surfaces. Wide light-alloy spokes are combined with aerodynamic inserts to create an almost continuous surface.
2 Airflow around the front wheels is also improved by precisely shaped Air Curtain inlets at the corners of the front bumper. These feed air into the Air Curtain, which guides it along the outer face of the front tyre and helps keep the airflow in this area cleaner and more controlled.
3 Another important detail is the underbody air deflector positioned directly in front of the wheel. It helps guide the airflow so that less air hits the rotating wheel directly and more of it flows smoothly around it and along the flat underbody.
4 Even the active roller blind in the cooling module plays a role. It opens only when cooling air is needed. When it remains closed, significantly less air passes into the engine bay and from there into the wheel arches, allowing the airflow to move more cleanly around the front of the car.
Did you know that a car’s aerodynamic drag is commonly described by its drag coefficient? The lower the value, the more easily air flows around the car. Modern passenger cars typically achieve values between 0.20 and 0.40.
Why are the wheel-arch claddings so pronounced?
Have you noticed that the wheel-arch claddings on Škoda cars protrude noticeably from the body surface? This is not just a styling feature. Their shape and thickness help ensure that the wheels are sufficiently covered, as required by law: when viewed from above, neither the tyre nor the wheel may extend beyond the outline of the body. At the same time, this also helps guide airflow around the wheel area. Wheels that protrude too far could throw up stones at vehicles behind or pose a risk to pedestrians. This feature also helps increase the rigidity of the body panels.
0.225
The drag coefficient of the Enyaq Coupé.