Ariel Concept Car Fans Aerodynamic Downforce

British specialty carmaker Ariel Motor Co. says the ground effects package on its Aero-P concept car enhances downforce stability without creating any aerodynamic drag.

Ariel claims the design can provide three times the downforce of traditional wings and airfoils, which have a negative effect on aerodynamics. As a result, the new design enables higher vehicle speeds and helps improve fuel economy, according to the carmaker.

Two high-speed fans mounted under the concept model, which is based on Ariel’s Atom roadster, and a sealed rubber skirt are used to create low pressure under the car. The system, which was created with aerodynamic specialists TotalSim and Delta Motorsport, is similar to the technique employed briefly by race cars in the 1970s until the practice was banned.

The fans can be turned on and off as needed at any speed, allowing drivers to have high downforce when cornering and low downforce when traveling in a straight line. Ariel, which says the technology is in the early stages of development, may adapt the design for use as a cooling system in electrified vehicles.