The System – BMW's Innovative Aerodynamic Wheel
Electric vehicles place special demands on wheel design. In addition to their load-bearing function, wheels have a significant impact on aerodynamic performance, range, ride comfort, and energy consumption. For the BMW iX3, the BMW Group has developed an innovative aerodynamic wheel system that combines a lightweight aluminum wheel with specially designed aerodynamic inserts.
By treating the wheel as a multifunctional system rather than an isolated individual component, the design contributes directly to the vehicle's overall efficiency while also meeting the structural requirements of everyday operation.
Image source: BMW (BMW as a current example from the industry; no connection to TGM)
The technology
The aerodynamic wheel design integrates targeted flow management directly into the wheel architecture. Lightweight aerodynamic inserts cover specific areas of the wheel’s surface, thereby reducing the turbulence generated by the rotating wheel. At the same time, the airflow around the vehicle is optimized.
This approach reduces aerodynamic drag without compromising the functionality of brake cooling and the wheel structure. The modular combination of a load-bearing aluminum wheel and separate aerodynamic elements makes it possible to optimize structural and aerodynamic requirements independently of one another—a decisive advantage for electric mobility.
The lightweight aspect
From a lightweight construction perspective, the BMW iX3 wheel design demonstrates the impact of functional integration at the system level. The concept combines multiple functions into a single system:
• Load-bearing structure for vehicle loads
• Aerodynamic optimization
• Visual Design
The reduced wheel mass lowers both the rotating mass and the unsprung mass. This improves efficiency, driving dynamics, and comfort. At the same time, aerodynamic optimization helps increase range without adding significant material or system complexity.
The concept illustrates that modern lightweight construction is increasingly based on holistic system optimization, in which aerodynamics, structure, materials, and function are developed in tandem to maximize overall vehicle performance.
Source article here: https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/article/detail/T0305189EN/novel-%E2%80%9Caerodynamic-wheels%E2%80%9D-for-the-purely-electric-bmw-ix3
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