Chinese language electrical car model Avatr performed a live-streamed wind tunnel take a look at of its Avatr 12 sedan tonight, Could 9, at 6:00 PM native time. The occasion adopted a public controversy ignited by a blogger who challenged the corporate’s beforehand marketed drag coefficient (Cd) determine for the car.
The controversy started when automotive blogger “Zurich Bei Le Ye” (苏黎世贝勒爷) posted a video claiming his impartial take a look at on the China Automotive Expertise and Analysis Centre (CATARC) wind tunnel in Tianjin measured the Avatr 12’s drag coefficient at 0.28 Cd. This determine is considerably larger than Avatr’s official promotional declare of 0.21 Cd, a distinction of over 30%. The blogger famous this determine was corresponding to a 20-year-old inside combustion engine automobile just like the Passat B5.
Avatr’s authorized division responded, calling the blogger’s data “fully false” and introduced the reside wind tunnel take a look at to “self-certify” their claims. Including a global dimension to the dispute, Avatr publicly invited Elon Musk to witness the take a look at, after Musk reportedly shared the blogger’s controversial video on the social media platform X.
Nonetheless, the blogger on the centre of the controversy said that Avatr explicitly knowledgeable him he wouldn’t be invited to the reside take a look at.
The incident has additionally introduced broader consideration to the requirements, or lack thereof, for automotive wind resistance testing. Consultants observe that there is no such thing as a obligatory nationwide normal for wind resistance testing in China, and producers can use numerous strategies, together with prototype autos and even information simulation, which may result in variations between marketed figures and real-world outcomes. Whereas a slight distinction could be acceptable, a major discrepancy just like the one claimed might doubtlessly mislead shoppers, notably concerning car vary, as a decrease drag coefficient usually contributes to raised vitality effectivity and extra prolonged vary in electrical autos.
The outcomes present that underneath low drag situations at 120 kph (75 mph), the measured drag coefficient is 0.217 Cd, which is 22% decrease than the 0.28 Cd beforehand measured by the blogger.
Subsequently, Avatr changed the low-drag wheels with sport wheels and measured a drag coefficient of 0.2326 Cd at 120 kph (75 mph), which is 16.9% decrease than the blogger’s measured end result.
Avatr 12 was additionally geared up with common exterior rearview mirrors and raised suspension for cross-validation of the high-drag state, leading to a measured drag coefficient of 0.2509 Cd at 120 kph (75 mph).
Moreover, Avatr performed measurements on the 12 with the entrance consumption grille open, and at a pace of 120 kph (75 mph), the car’s drag coefficient was 0.2743Cd.
Editor’s remark
If this take a look at can display something, it might solely present that drag coefficients measured underneath totally different situations differ considerably. Seemingly as an example this level, Avatr even examined the drag coefficient by tilting the automobile physique by 5 levels, which naturally resulted in larger drag however is pointless. Right this moment, BYD Han L additionally introduced its drag coefficient of 0.212, indicating that Chinese language new vitality autos have made super progress in design capabilities in comparison with the previous, pushed by intense competitors.
