Flexcompute has partnered with NIO, a global manufacturer of smart electric vehicles (EVs), to advance the application of GPU-native solvers in aerodynamic development.
Announced at the recent Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress, the collaboration focuses on integrating Flexcompute’s Flow360 platform into NIO’s aerodynamic optimization processes to support improved vehicle performance and energy efficiency.
NIO is using Flow360’s high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) capabilities to refine airflow behavior and reduce drag across a range of vehicle types, including sedans and SUVs. These optimizations are designed to enhance driving dynamics and greater energy efficiency in electric vehicles.
Key results:
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Comprehensive validation: NIO has validated more than 60 simulation cases spanning sedans and SUVs using Flow360.
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Accuracy: Over 94% of simulations deviated by less than 3% from wind tunnel test data.
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Simulation speed: Flow360 delivered results 10–100x faster than traditional CFD tools—under an hour on an 8L20 system and as fast as 10 minutes on an 8 H200 system.
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Cost efficiency: Simulation costs were reduced by approximately 60%, while minimizing reliance on physical prototypes and shortening development timelines.
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Integrated aeroacoustic modeling: Built-in Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings (FWH) functionality enables simultaneous modeling of wind noise, with recent validations aligning closely with experimental data on driver-side window pressure.
This collaboration supports the broader adoption of high-speed, high-accuracy simulation in EV development, with a focus on accelerating design cycles and reducing environmental impact through more efficient aerodynamic solutions.
Filed Under: Technology News