Even though the Rivian R1T looks fairly conventional and quite similar to other trucks, at least in terms of its overall look and proportions, its makers say it is considerably more aerodynamically efficient compared to rivals. Rivian says the R1T has a drag coefficient of 0.30 Cd, compared to around 0.44 Cd for the Ford F-150 Lightning and over 0.5 Cd for the GMC Hummer EV.
Now, with the help of AirShaper, an online aerodynamics platform that is aimed at both designers and engineers, the application’s creators were able to verify the claims made by Rivian. They used what they say is an accurate scanned 3D model of the Rivian R1T, which they ran through the simulation and actually got pretty close to the manufacturer claim with 0.322 Cd.
