Video: Rivian R1T Aerodynamics - Is the claimed drag coefficient of 0.30 correct?

[TollKeeper]

yep:
But I am curious as to their having seen the AirShaper video.

I really like those wheels at the 33 second mark!

Sponsored

 

[dleewla]

not interested in watching the whole thing. what is the conclusion?

 

[TollKeeper]

Conclusion was they are only slightly off of the claimed co-efficient. Rivian Claimed 0.3, and it was actually 0.322

 

[Chas60422]

The video mentioned the coef of 0.3 was most likely with ideal setup. So 21” wheels with aerocover at low or lowest ride height. The question is how much does 0.022 matter in terms of efficiency

 

[TollKeeper]

The numbers may have been mentioned in the video, but I didnt see them. More info is required really. I know I saw the speed of 30 meters per second, and the drag CoEf of 0.3 and 0.322.

https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/drag-equation

 

[SASSquatch]

Very interesting and fascinating video. I can't believe that their simulation was so sensitive that they were able to catch a panel gap that they didn't even notice when they were taking photos. Impressive!

In another thread I started I had advocated for the development of aero covers for the 22/20" wheels and there were those who argued that it was a lost cause because there likely wouldn't be enough ROI. Well, these guys elegantly showed how much the wheel design impacts the drag coefficient providing (simulated) empirical evidence for my hypothesis.. The two main areas of highest drag were the wheels and the air flow from the roofline into the bed.

So, thank you to the team who designed and ran the simulation.

Now I'm motivated to designing an aero cover for the 22" wheels.

 

[Yossarian]

The video was well-done and informative, and the R1T drag coefficient is quite good whether it's 0.30 or 0.32. By way of comparison, the Tesla Model S, one of the slipperier cars out there, has a Cd of 0.24, making (at least to me) the Rivian's number pretty impressive.

My knowlege of fluid dynamics is pretty rudimentary, but my understanding is that we really should not look at Cd in isolation, and need to consider the total drag of the vehicle to assess its true aerodynamic efficiency. A quick online search did not turn up the number for the frontal area of the R1T however, so I'm in the dark on total drag. Does anyone have this figure, or the total drag number?

 

[Babbuino]

Aero covers may help the wheels. Has anyone found a solution for the 22s or 20s?

Sponsored