Uploaded June 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Learn more about aerodynamic shape optimization:
youtu.be/cZAhPQFINZ8
The Aptera is a solar powered electric vehicle which has been designed for efficiency from the very beginning. Solar powered cars only make sense if the energy captured from the sun is significant compared to the energy needs of the vehicle. The lower the energy consumption of the car per km (or mile), the further it will go on the same amount of energy from the sun.
From the very beginning, the Aptera was shaped radically different, like a drop-shape on wheels. In the process, Aptera extensively used AirShaper to analyze multiple design iterations of the car. Additionally, as seen in this video, Aptera utilized the AirShaper Aerodynamic Shape Optimization functionality to let the algorithm automatically morph the car towards lower drag values.
This methodology has also been applied to various other cases:
- airshaper.com/cases/optimization
- airshaper.com/research/from-scanned-cad-to-an-optimized-car
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The AirShaper videos cover the basics of aerodynamics (aerodynamic drag, drag & lift coefficients, boundary layer theory, flow separation, reynolds number...), simulation aspects (computational fluid dynamics, CFD meshing, ...) and aerodynamic testing (wind tunnel testing, flow visualization, ...).
We then use those basics to explain the aerodynamics of (race) cars (aerodynamic efficiency of electric vehicles, aerodynamic drag, downforce, aero maps, formula one aerodynamics, ...), drones and airplanes (propellers, airfoils, electric aviation, eVTOLS, ...), motorcycles (wind buffeting, motogp aerodynamics, ...) and more!
For more information, visit airshaper.com
Learn more about aerodynamic shape optimization:
youtu.be/cZAhPQFINZ8
The Aptera is a solar powered electric vehicle which has been designed for efficiency from the very beginning. Solar powered cars only make sense if the energy captured from the sun is significant compared to the energy needs of the vehicle. The lower the energy consumption of the car per km (or mile), the further it will go on the same amount of energy from the sun.
From the very beginning, the Aptera was shaped radically different, like a drop-shape on wheels. In the process, Aptera extensively used AirShaper to analyze multiple design iterations of the car. Additionally, as seen in this video, Aptera utilized the AirShaper Aerodynamic Shape Optimization functionality to let the algorithm automatically morph the car towards lower drag values.
This methodology has also been applied to various other cases:
- airshaper.com/cases/optimization
- airshaper.com/research/from-scanned-cad-to-an-optimized-car
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The AirShaper videos cover the basics of aerodynamics (aerodynamic drag, drag & lift coefficients, boundary layer theory, flow separation, reynolds number...), simulation aspects (computational fluid dynamics, CFD meshing, ...) and aerodynamic testing (wind tunnel testing, flow visualization, ...).
We then use those basics to explain the aerodynamics of (race) cars (aerodynamic efficiency of electric vehicles, aerodynamic drag, downforce, aero maps, formula one aerodynamics, ...), drones and airplanes (propellers, airfoils, electric aviation, eVTOLS, ...), motorcycles (wind buffeting, motogp aerodynamics, ...) and more!
For more information, visit airshaper.com
