Porsche patents an active diffuser that can hide a towbar

The Stuttgart brand is working on an active aerodynamic system designed to hide or reveal a towbar. First uncovered by CarBuzz, US patent number US 2022/0177057, Motor Vehicle with a Rear Diffuser, describes an aerodynamic element beneath the car that can tilt downwards and move away from the underside of a vehicle to make it easier to fit a removable towbar.

The invention would be particularly useful for the Porsche Cayenne, the Porsche Macan and even its estate versions, all vehicles that could possibly be used to tow a trailer and could also drive fast enough to need a diffuser.

But, as Porsche describes it in its patent application, the diffuser would not simply be decorative. The company is clear that it would have aerodynamic benefits. However, it also notes that when the towbar is fitted, the diffuser could potentially be oriented so as to minimise air resistance.

This is the new patent from the Stuttgart brand

Although reducing the drag coefficient would benefit combustion-engined vehicles that tow, manufacturers have become especially concerned with aerodynamics now that electric vehicles are hitting the road. As range anxiety still affects many buyers, it may be in Porsche’s interest to develop new ways of improving aerodynamic efficiency to convince customers that their EVs can do everything a combustion-engined vehicle can do.

The company plans to launch a fully electric Porsche Macan in the near future, so developing this technology makes sense. And, although patent photos tend to be chosen specifically so as not to reveal too much, those attached to this patent appear to be modelled on the Taycan Cross Turismo and the towbar appears to be European. In fact, it may well be that non-SUV vehicles are equipped with the technology in the future, especially in markets where people are more likely to tow smaller vehicles.