Honda has opened a brand new wind tunnel facility in Ohio, which is able to help develop the next generation of race vehicles as well as the company’s road cars.
Located inside the Honda Research and Development facility in central Ohio, the wind tunnel has the ability to produce wind speeds over 190 MPH and has a rolling belt system that matches that speed.
Billed as the world’s most advanced wind tunnel, the facility also has the ability to do acoustic testing along with a wide range of aerodynamic tests.
Honda is heavily involved in America’s racing scene, with many people dedicated to supporting IndyCar, sportcar, and rally racing through its Honda Performance Development division.
“Honda’s product development capabilities will advance to new heights thanks to this investment in our Ohio research operations,” said Jim Keller, executive vice president of Honda Development & Manufacturing of America.
“With this new facility, Honda is not simply investing in an advanced technology facility but in the future of the Honda engineers and other researchers who will work here.”
Many factors can be controlled individually during testing, including temperature, humidity, angle of attack, and wind speed.
A single eight meter fan powers the high speed wind tunnel, and is driven by a 6700 HP electric motor.
Other features of the world-class facility include:
- 10-50°C controlled temperature range
- 225 cubic meter testing volume
- 180 degree rotating turntable
- Drag force sensitivity of 2.5 Newtons (equal to roughly 0.5 pounds of drag force)
- Eight meter diameter fan, with 12 hollow carbon fiber blades
The new wind tunnel cost an estimated $124 million to build, and will play a key role in the company’s plans to be a leader in electric vehicle performance.
