Most trucks aren’t as aerodynamic as the Tesla Semi which has a drag coefficient that’s lesser than Bugatti’s flagship Chiron. But most trucks aren’t designed to be fuel efficient. They’re made for getting cargo from A to B, and usually when you design for optimal space, you pay more attention to space optimization, rather than aerodynamics. However, Henning Marxen has a rather simple solution to help reduce aerodynamic drag in any truck. The answer? An inflatable PVC tail that helps guide air flow in a manner that helps reduce drag, and therefore increase fuel economy.
The Trucktail unlike other permanent solutions for reducing aerodynamic drag is a temporary one. Made from PVC fabric, it can be simply attached and inflated to take shape. It stays tethered to the back of the truck at all times, making sure it never comes undone under high speeds. Once done, the tail can be simply deflated, folded, and stored anywhere on board the semi.
It’s not like Tesla’s Semi needs to be more aerodynamic than it already is, but the Trucktail is sure to help other trucks be much more fuel efficient than they already are… besides, it won’t harm anyone to see this attached to a Tesla Semi. Unless that anyone is Bugatti’s pride!
The Trucktail received an honorable mention at the Red Dot Design Concept Awards for the year 2017.
Designer: Henning Marxen
