Introduction of the AeroSUV-A New Generic SUV Model for Aerodynamic Research 2019-01-0646

Since the introduction of the DrivAer model, an increasing amount of aerodynamic research and CAE method development activities are based on this detailed generic car body. Due to the Open Access nature of the model, it has not only been quickly adopted by academia but also by several automotive OEMs and CAE software developers. The DrivAer has delivered high quality experimental data to permit validation of existing aerodynamic CAE capabilities and to accelerate the development of new sophisticated numerical methods.

Within the last decades, the registration number of SUV, especially in Europe, has increased significantly. Among other things, a large cross-sectional area, an increased ground clearance and larger wheels characterize this kind of vehicle. The DrivAer is not capable of depicting this vehicle category. Therefore, there is a demand for an expansion of this generic vehicle concept. A new Open Access vehicle, the so-called AeroSUV is proposed to further expand the usability of the DrivAer concept. The structure of the AeroSUV is similar to the one of the DrivAer while representing a typical mid class SUV. The introduced vehicle geometry is developed to be capable carrying over certain parts of the existing DrivAer, e.g. the rear ends. The geometry of the new AeroSUV will be available for download as an open access geometry on the ECARA website (http://www.ecara.org/). This paper focuses on the conceptual layout of the AeroSUV and will explain the design of the physical quarter scale test model. Furthermore, initial wind tunnel test data as well as CFD results will be presented.