Hyundai, Kia Unveil 'Active Air Skirt' Technology That Improves Vehicle Aerodynamics

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have introduced the 'Active Air Skirt' (AAS) technology, to tackle the challenges of aerodynamic resistance during high-speed driving in electric vehicles. The system is designed to minimise the aerodynamic drag, and thus enhancing driving range and stability, as claimed by the automaker.

The tech comprises of active flaps installed between the front bumper and the wheels that deploy at speeds in excess of 80 kmph to help reduce drag. Hyundai says that the ASS has been developed specifically with the e-GMP platform in mind with the two flaps positioned ahead of the wheels designed to direct air away from the wheels thus reducing drag and improving aerodynamics.

In practical application the system reduced drag by 2.8 per cent and improved range by 6 km.

The AAS flaps also use a layer of rubber material on the lower part to reduce the risk of any damage to the component at speeds. Hyundai says that this allows the system to be used at speeds of more than 200km/h.

To test out the efficiency of this new Active Air Skirt, the automaker tried it on its Genesis GV60 model. It was noted that this system reduced the drag coefficient (Cd) by 0.008, resulting in a 2.8 per cent improvement in drag. This reduction, also aided in increasing range by 6 km.

Commenting on this advancement, Sun Hyung Cho, Vice President and Head of Mobility Body Development Group at Hyundai Motor Group says, “This technology is expected to have a greater effect on models such as SUVs where it is difficult to improve aerodynamic performance,” further added that, “We will continue to strive to improve the driving performance and stability of electric vehicles through improvements in aerodynamics.”

Written by: Ronit Agarwal