Most eco cars start with the premise of maximizing aerodynamic efficiency, the Chevrolet Bolt EV prioritized a spacious body instead.
The new Chevrolet Bolt has a coefficient of drag (Cd) of 0.32, which may have been amazing a decade or two ago, but is pretty bad today. And it’s way worse than the XW50 Toyota Prius, which despite its ugly looks, slips through the air with a Cd of just 0.24.
Naturally, a low Cd helps the Prius and other slippery cars cut through the air, and be more efficient.
The Bolt defies that convention by, as Stuart Norris, the car’s lead designer, describes as trying to fit a “C-segment interior on a B-segment platform”.
Because of the tall body hatch shape, the Bolt is “a disaster for aero”. To help smooth out air flow, Norris and his team added a spoiler, canards at the back of Bolt, underbody panels, active grille shutters, air dams, modified mirrors, and tuning the radius of the A pillar.
The team even went through the task of aero testing six full size versions of the Bolt’s body.
The Bolt goes on sale in the US in late 2016 as a 2017 model year car, with prices starting from US$37,500 and a driving range of 200mi (322km).
Source: Automotive News
