Vehicle front-end profiles are a compromise between aerodynamics, bumper regulations, pedestrian safety regulations, and yes, styling. The bug carcasses are indicative that aerodynamics isn't an automatic winner in this negotiation.

 

The dead bugs end up on the front of a rounded outer surface instead of passing through a grill and clogging up the radiator.

 

Volvo and most all others as well. Actually there is some positive aerodynamics in play, but obviously not bug-free. At least a fairly smooth surface and not ICE grill to clean.

 

A flat front isn’t always bad overall aerodynamics either… it’s a super complicated issue! It may produce local drag on the grille area, but that high pressure air may attach to the bodywork in different ways producing overall lower drag when considering the entire vehicle.

 

Aerodynamics can be surprising. I see some folks driving pickups with bed covers, open tailgates or even meshed tailgates, in some cases trying to reduce drag. Actually driving a pickup with an empty bed and the tailgate up is the best for reducing drag. A bubble is formed in the bed area when on the highway. This enables air coming over the cab to glide over the bubble and exit relatively smoothly past the tailgate.

This is similar in concept to air pollution problems cities like LA, Denver, Phoenix, Tucson and others that might be in a valley with winds that fly up a mountain and over a protected area leaving that city without not much new air.

Tailgate Down Myth

Fuel Economy 101 CLOSING THE TAILGATE DOWN MYTH Tailgate up, or down? A few facts to boost your pickup’s fuel economy numbers By Bruce W. Smith / ©2006 Truck Test Digest Tailgate down. Tailgate up. Which gives your pickup the best fuel mileage? If you look around at the number of pickups driving...

www.hardworkingtrucks.com

 

Yeah. I've always wondered about this - not so much for cars because of the points made by @Atlant - but for ships and aircraft. Large ships have a bulbous protrusion under water, and the noses of most commercial aircraft have a rounded nose. Neither are pointy, and neither have to worry about pedestrians, etc. The part of the vehicle that first makes contact with the stationary medium (water or air) looks like it was sliced off a sphere.

 

Here’s some interesting reading if you want to nerd out … explains why a pointy front on a large object (like a car) might have poor drag… it’s actually about what the air does after it passes the object!

Bluff Body Flows – Introduction to Aerospace Flight Vehicles

<p>The overarching concept of this eTextbook is to give students a broad-based introduction to the aerospace field, emphasizing technical content while making the material attractive and digestible. This eTextbook is structured and split into lessons centered around a 50-minute lecture period...

eaglepubs.erau.edu

 

Good reason to consider a clear bra possibly for the front of your car if you are picky about your paintwork.

 

My Pickup Bed cover is to keep crap out of my bed, not for aerodynamics. But the flat front on the EV's not only looks goofy but grabs bugs like a magnet.

 

I once bough a brand-new small Toyota pickup. On the way home I stopped at the local grocery store. Before I got three steps away a gray haired old lady threw her chewing gum in the bed of my truck, the sales sticker was still on the window and it obviously didn't say Waste Management on the side. People also put bags at fast food places back there . Then said bags would blow out of the bed on the highway making people cuss me for a litterer. I'm supposed to climb in the back of my truck and clean other peoples trash every time. Actually I did if I happened to see it. So since gas was cheap at the time I could see the point of bed covers.

 

According to the article @Fahrer posted, a bed cover will reduce drag by 8-10%. So a bed cover is fine. Leaving the tailgate open was thing that increased drag... only by ~1%, but still.

 

Real men are afraid to be seen in cars or SUVs with pointy fronts.

Seriously, people think they need to drive a 3 ton truck with slab nose to exude some sort of macho image.

 

I recommend Turtle Wax Car Bug & Tar Remover. Very effective.

 

Also, if you ceramic coat or PPF the front, the bugs just fall off with the slightest effort…

 

I'm wondering if crash testing is also a reason for a flat front. You don't want the car to start spinning or going forward at a different angle.

 

It's plastic. Doubt if plastic is going to have an effect on a crash test

 

They did spend a lot of effort meeting the EU regulations for pedestrian safety in the ID4.

I need to get some of that Turtle Wax bug spray before the fall love bug season kicks in.

 

I wonder if they use real pedestrians in these crash tests?

 

 

Guts are either going to be in the grill/radiator or on the paint. Not sure what the issue is besides cosmetic. I prefer the clean lines, it reminds me of various aviation designs.... and yes, airplanes are the ultimate bug/bird magnets.

Mentioned previously here, but PPF will add peace of mind, ceramic coating will offer ease of cleanup.

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