Stellantis presents $29.5M investment in upgraded wind tunnel

Stellantis (STLA) unveiled its Moving Ground Plane, or MGP, technology, a $29.5M investment, at the company’s research and technical center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The upgraded wind tunnel will be able to measure and reduce airflow resistance from wheels and tires, which can account for up to 10% of total real-world aerodynamic drag. Optimizing aerodynamic efficiency is crucial in the effort to extend the driving range of electrified vehicles on a single charge. This enhancement directly contributes to improved efficiency, benefiting customers with longer EV ranges and potentially reducing battery sizes, which in turn could lead to cost and weight savings. Changes to wheelbase and track testing, which can take as much as two hours in conventional wind tunnels, can now be done in minutes. The upgraded facility is part of an estimated $85M commitment included in the 2019 UAW contract. It includes a new annex for staging test vehicles and a new outbuilding to support the MGP system, which uses high-pressure compressed air to drive the wheel and center belts at speeds up to 140 mph. The entire process is carefully controlled by electromechanical actuators. The measuring platform and turntable that comprise the heart of the MGP equipment weighs 137 tons, rests on a concrete foundation and are supported by a specially designed steel frame. The wind tunnel, capable of generating wind speeds of more than 160 mph, has been in continuous operation since 2002.