Shape and Form:
* Aerodynamic Body: The most significant factor. This means a smooth, teardrop-like shape with a long, tapered tail. Sharp edges and abrupt changes in shape create turbulence and increase drag. Think of the difference between a brick and a bullet.
* Rounded Edges and Corners: Replacing sharp corners with curves minimizes disruption of airflow.
* Smooth Surface: Reducing surface irregularities like seams, rivets, and door handles minimizes turbulence. Flush-mounted components help.
* Low Profile: A lower center of gravity and overall height reduces the car's frontal area, the surface area that meets the oncoming air.
* Underbody Aerodynamics: Smoothing the underbody, including covering the exposed areas of the engine and chassis, prevents airflow from being disrupted. Adding diffusers helps manage airflow under the car.
* Wheel Spats/Covers: These help reduce turbulence caused by the rotating wheels.
* Optimized Front End: A carefully designed front end directs airflow around the car efficiently. This often involves features like air curtains and aerodynamic splitters.
Active Aerodynamics:
These are features that adjust based on speed or driving conditions:
* Adjustable Spoilers/Wings: These can be deployed at higher speeds to generate downforce (pushing the car to the ground) for improved handling and stability, while retracting at lower speeds to reduce drag.
* Active Aerodynamic Elements: These can include flaps and other moving parts that automatically adjust based on the air flow around the car, further reducing drag.
Other Considerations:
* Lightweight Materials: Using lighter materials reduces the car's overall weight, indirectly improving fuel efficiency by decreasing the energy required to overcome inertia and drag.
* Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): Sophisticated computer simulations are used to analyze airflow around a car's design, allowing engineers to optimize its shape for minimal drag.
* Wind Tunnel Testing: Physical testing in a wind tunnel confirms the CFD predictions and identifies areas for further improvement.
By implementing these techniques, car manufacturers can significantly improve a car's aerodynamic performance, leading to better fuel economy, higher top speeds, and improved handling at high speeds.
