Rivian is searching for to patent wheel covers that incorporate energetic aerodynamic options to boost the effectivity of its electrical automobiles. The sleek wheel covers discovered on the refreshed 2025 Rivian R1S and R1T fashions assist decrease aerodynamic drag. Nonetheless, these covers are usually fastened in place, which suggests they don’t seem to be optimized for all driving conditions. In a patent utility filed with the US Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO) in August 2023 and printed on March 6, 2024, Rivian proposes a design the place wheel covers have movable components to offer better versatility.
Based on the main points shared by Rivian, these modern wheel covers would function a sequence of openings that align with the wheel spokes in a single place, however will be adjusted to dam them, making a smoother floor in one other. The mechanism for this motion would contain a spring that rotates the quilt into completely different positions.
This energetic design not solely affords customers the choice of a coated or uncovered look with out requiring any modifications, however Rivian additionally signifies that these dynamic wheel covers might assist relieve accrued air stress from the wheel wells, which might additional improve aerodynamic efficiency. When within the open place, the covers may present extra cooling, just like how energetic grille shutters function in lots of fashionable automobiles.
The distinct shapes of SUVs and vans, like Rivian’s all-electric off-road fashions, current distinctive challenges for lowering drag. This has prompted different producers to discover subtle energetic aerodynamic options, equivalent to Stellantis’s patented deployable rear step with an built-in diffuser for pickup vans.
Hyundai has been experimenting with an energetic air skirt, which it believes may very well be helpful for lowering drag in SUVs or electrics with broader wheels. The corporate reported in 2024 that checks on a Genesis GV60, a part of its luxurious lineup, confirmed a 2.8% lower in drag coefficient, translating to an estimated enhance of three.7 miles in driving vary. Nonetheless, Hyundai has but to disclose any manufacturing plans for this expertise.
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