Whenever we see car-mounted roof trunks we think they were designed with the right shape: shorter and sharper at the front and taller at the back. But is it that simple? Apparently no.
For several years now, some drivers — especially in electric cars — have been mounting the roof bags upside down on their cars, turning the higher end towards the front. The reason? Better aerodynamic performance, which in turn allows for more friendly fuel consumption and less noise.
The solution was gaining more and more supporters, but it was always accompanied by a legal issue, since in the event of an accident, a roof box mounted against its manufacturer's specifications could quickly pose a problem for the owner.
Now, and to put an end to this problem, Calix, a Swedish company specializing in this type of transport equipment, has presented a model designed from scratch to be mounted in an opposite position, with the highest part towards the front.
Subscribe to our newsletter
In this configuration, the Aero Loader, as it is called, when viewed in profile, approximates the shape of an airplane wing, designed to maintain the laminar air flow as far back as possible.
At first glance it may seem strange, but the truth is that placed like this, this roof box is more aerodynamically efficient and generates less noise than a conventional one, mounted in the “correct” direction.
At least that's what the tests carried out by Bjørn Nyland, known youtuber who compared these two types of carrying cases with the help of a Tesla Model 3, prove.
The test carried out by Bjorn Nyland is unequivocal and shows consumption around 10% lower than that achieved with a “conventional” suitcase from the same company, with the same car and in similar weather conditions, as well as a reduction in noise level of almost two decibels.
This very favorable “performance” is explained by the better aerodynamic behavior and, as a result, by the less turbulence generated at the rear of the roof trunk. It reduces the noise level and allows for lower consumption.
The Calix Aero Loader is already on sale and is sold for around 730 EUR.