This revolutionary electric vehicle boasts a payload capacity of up to 1,588kg (3,500 pounds). It can accelerate from 0-60mph (0-97km/h) in less than 2.9 seconds and has a range of 500 miles. With adaptive suspension and an indestructible ekoskeleton shell, the engineering behind the Cybertruck is extremely impressive. (Apart from the ‘unbreakable’ armor glass which shattered during the live unveiling.)
The exterior design is a complete departure from the usual streamlined styling of other Tesla models. Its simplistic, boxy appearance meant that it was not long before 3D models were available on the internet. Once the most representative model was found, we uploaded it and ran some initial simulations. We were excited to see what aerodynamic secrets our initial analysis would uncover.
Celkový tvar
The most interesting aspect of the Cybertruck’s design is that it only features straight lines. The nose is vertical and there is a gentle incline from the bonnet up to the roof. The roofline then gently declines down towards the rear of the truck.
From the 2D section below, the flow separation at the front (highlighted in blue) is clear. This turbulent flow is then forced back onto the bonnet and windscreen. However, the most surprising feature of this analysis, is the sharp angle of the roof, which generates minimal separation. Although, the precise behaviour of the flow surrounding this area will be affected by the radius of this edge, which may be inaccurate in this model.
Overall, it appears that there is relatively good pressure recovery. Air is pushed away at the front which creates drag. However, this drag then decreases consistently towards the rear, pushing down on the rear window. This forces the car to move forward, similar to a wedge, which counteracts some of the force at the front.
Vortexová generace
However, 2D analysis does not reveal the whole story. To analyse the behaviour of the flow in more detail, streamlines can be used to illustrate how the air flows over a surface. The below images show a friction drag colour map on the surface of the Cybertruck, along with streamlines.
We can see that not all the air flows over the roof. In fact, some air is directed outboard around the front A-Pillar and then curves back inboard around the roofline at the rear. This air then joins the main flow over the roof. This results in vortices along the roofline, which creates aerodynamic drag.
Wheel arch design
Another way to visualise drag is to use 3D pressure clouds. These are areas with a pressure lower than the local surrounding air and highlight which features generate drag. From the images below, we can clearly see that the large open wheel arches are a major source of drag. Although, the design could be encouraging the air to jump across the rotating wheels, acting like air mixers.
The rear of the Tesla Cybertruck is another area of significant drag. However, this is unsurprising considering the sharp change in surface geometry of the trailing edge.
Drag Coefficients
Our initial simulations calculated a drag coefficient of 0.48, which is more than double the drag of the Tesla Model 3 (Cd of 0.23). This is particularly impressive for an electric pickup truck. The results from our initial analysis highlight that the aerodynamic features of the Tesla Cybertruck are not only interesting, but impressive. We are looking forward to conducting some further analysis once we receive a more detailed model.
One thing that Elon Musk emphasized about the Cybertruck during its unveil is that its design is about more than just aesthetics. We already know the thick, angular steel plates makes for a stronger frame and theoretically lower build cost, but it likely has another benefit too: aerodynamics.
The faster a car goes, the more it has to fight drag – essentially the air pushing back on a moving object. In general, the lower the vehicle’s drag coefficient, the easier it is for it to ‘cut’ through the air, and the better its mileage will be (all else being equal). While some worried the Cybertruck’s angular design would hamper its aerodynamics, the vehicle appears to compare favorably to existing trucks.
YouTube channel Boats and Engines put the Cybertruck’s aerodynamics to the test using computational fluid dynamics software to model the vehicle’s performance. It’s basically a wind tunnel simulator.
He found that while there’s a bit of addition drag at the very peak of the vehicle, it’s an overall surprisingly efficient design. The flat front of the vehicle actually appears to work as an air splitter, smoothly redirecting airflow. The fact the truck comes with an integrated, stiff bed cover doesn’t hurt.
Last week, aerospace engineer Justin Martin also simulated the Cybertruck’s aerodynamics and came to similar conclusions.
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Boats and Engines acknowledges that his software and model aren’t accurate enough to estimate the vehicle’s drag coefficient with complete accuracy, but his results nonetheless suggest that some worries over the Cybertruck’s flat design are unfounded.
More telling is a comparison of the Cybertruck with two existing vehicles, the Ford F150 and Dodge Ram 1500. Boats and Engines achieved a drag co-efficient of 0.39 at 60 mph for the Cybertruck, compared to 0.59 for the F150 and 0.56 for the Ram 1500.
Mind you, these differ from official stats. Dodge claims the Ram 1500 drag coefficient is as low as 0.36 on its Quad Cab 4×2 model, making it the most slippery truck on the market. While Tesla hasn’t provided an oficiální drag value yet, Elon Musk has said that “with extreme effort, Cybertruck might hit a 0.30 drag coefficient, which would be insane for a truck.”
For comparison, Tesla’s Model 3, one of the slipperiest cars out there, has a drag coefficient of just 0.23.
Of course, until the vehicle actually hits the road, this is all speculation. The Cybertruck doesn’t currently have side mirrors, for one, and it’s possible its design may need to change somewhat to meet safety standards (those angular panels don’t look great for pedestrian impacts).
It’s also worth acknowledging that efficiency is likely a bigger deal to Cybetruck owners, who have to worry about range during long trips and/or heavy hauls, while regular truck owners can always stop at the nearest gas station. Lastly, the co-efficient of drag isn’t everything, and other aspects will affect the vehicle’s efficiency.
Still, the data so far suggests the Cybertruck’s form follows function; it cuts through the air more easily than its boxy design might have you believe.
Story by Napier Lopez
Napier Lopez is a writer based in New York City. He’s interested in all things tech, science, and photography related, and likes to yo-yo in (show all) Napier Lopez is a writer based in New York City. He’s interested in all things tech, science, and photography related, and likes to yo-yo in his free time. Follow him on Twitter.
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