Active rear diffuser for vehicle

A vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle body including a front portion, an opposing rear end portion and an underbody portion configured to face a road surface;
• and
• an active diffuser assembly disposed on the underbody portion and configured to control ambient airflow passing under the vehicle body, the active diffuser assembly including:
• a fixed panel disposed on the vehicle underbody;
• a movable active panel disposed adjacent the fixed panel and configured for selective movement to be deployed away from the vehicle body and to be retracted toward the vehicle body for stowage;
• and
• an actuator configured to deploy and retract the movable active panel;
• wherein the fixed panel and the movable active panel define a continuous plane when the movable panel is in a stowed position;
• and
• wherein the movable active panel has an airfoil shape and a pocket defined on the fixed panel has a substantially similar airfoil shape such that the movable active panel is configured to nest within the pocket when the movable active panel is stowed.

A vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle body including a front portion, an opposing rear end portion and an underbody portion configured to face a road surface;
• and
• an active diffuser assembly configured to control ambient airflow passing under the vehicle body, the active diffuser assembly including:
• a fixed diffuser portion disposed on the vehicle body and configured to partially define a diffuser chamber including an opening positioned at the rear end portion of the vehicle body;
• a movable active panel disposed within the diffuser chamber and configured for selective movement to be deployed outward from the opening of the diffuser chamber and away from the vehicle body and to be retracted inward through the opening into the diffuser chamber and toward the vehicle body for stowage;
• and
• an actuator system configured to deploy and retract the movable active panel from within the diffuser chamber.

A method for deploying an active diffuser assembly on a vehicle comprising:

• providing an active diffuser assembly including a fixed diffuser portion and a movable active panel;
• positioning the fixed diffuser portion on the vehicle;
• actuating the active diffuser assembly to deploy the movable active panel away from the vehicle body;
• deploying the movable active panel in a rearward translational movement in-line with the fixed diffuser portion and away from the vehicle body a predetermined amount and forming a gap between the vehicle and the movable active panel such that ambient airflow passes over a first upper surface of the movable active panel and a second lower surface of the movable active panel.