The blower apparatus includes a fan unit and an electrical motor enclosed in a blower housing, which is configured to have a large rectangular fan box, a cylindrical motor guard and vent cap. The fan unit is disposed within the fan box and the electric motor is disposed within the motor guard which extends from the fan box and is covered by the vent cap. The sidewall of the vent cap overlies and is spaced from the sidewall of the motor guard forming an outer air passage around the motor guard. Similarly, the sidewall of the motor guard is spaced from the motor forming an inner air passage around the motor. The configuration of the blower housing allows ambient inlet air to enter the blower housing between the sidewalls of the vent cap and motor guard and then pass around the motor before entering the fan unit.

An aerodynamic control system includes a skirt assembly configured to be disposed between plural vehicles in a vehicle system formed from the plural vehicles with the vehicles separated by a spatial gap in the vehicle system. The skirt assembly can include a bladder configured to be inflated with a fluid by a fluid source disposed onboard the vehicle system to cause the skirt assembly to expand between the vehicles from a collapsed state to an expanded state such that the skirt assembly at least partially fills the spatial gap between the vehicles. The skirt assembly can reduce aerodynamic drag exerted on the vehicle system during movement of the vehicle system relative to the vehicle system moving without the skirt assembly in the expanded state.

An aerodynamic drag reducing apparatus is adaptable for use with vehicles having downstream surfaces that are not streamlined. The apparatus consists of a series of nesting shapes and/or frameworks that extend rearward for use in a drag reducing configuration and collapse for use in a space saving configuration.

An aerodynamic drag system is provided. The aerodynamic drag system is configured to reduce air drag on a cargo truck. The aerodynamic drag system includes an air capture system, an air channel system, and an air distribution system. The air capture system is configured to capture air at a front location of a cargo truck. The air channel system is coupled with the air capture system and is configured to guide the captured air from the front location of a cargo truck to a rear location of the cargo truck. The air distribution system is coupled with the air channel system and configured to distribute the captured air at the rear of the cargo truck such that the differential pressure on the cargo truck when moving is reduced.

A drag reducing apparatus is provided for use with vehicles having surfaces that are not streamlined. The apparatus includes an exterior cover that forms a drag reducing shape when the apparatus is fully extended. The apparatus can be retracted to a space saving configuration. A scissors linkage extends and retracts the apparatus. The scissors linkage can be motorized, and the motor can extend the scissors linkage by turning in a first direction and can retract the apparatus by turning in a second direction. The scissors linkage can hold the exterior cover taut when the apparatus is fully extended. The scissors linkage can support the exterior cover at intermediate locations when the apparatus is not fully extended. The apparatus can include support linkages and intermediate moveable members that support the exterior cover and define the drag reducing shape.

An aerodynamic control system includes a skirt assembly configured to be disposed between plural vehicles in a vehicle system formed from the plural vehicles with the vehicles separated by a spatial gap in the vehicle system. The skirt assembly can include a bladder configured to be inflated with a fluid by a fluid source disposed onboard the vehicle system to cause the skirt assembly to expand between the vehicles from a collapsed state to an expanded state such that the skirt assembly at least partially fills the spatial gap between the vehicles. The skirt assembly can reduce aerodynamic drag exerted on the vehicle system during movement of the vehicle system relative to the vehicle system moving without the skirt assembly in the expanded state.

A truck may include an apparatus behind a passenger cab. The apparatus may provide access to an interior of a truck box, when retracted, and/or a cover, when deployed. The apparatus may include a plurality of moveable portions. The moveable portions may be linked together, and adjacent moveable portions may be linked together by one or more hinge. The apparatus, when deployed, may slope and may keep airflow attached to at least an exterior of the apparatus. The apparatus, when deployed, may significantly reduce aerodynamic drag on the truck. The apparatus, when deployed, may significantly increase driving range of the truck. Deployment and retraction of the apparatus may be motorized and may further be done remotely and/or automatically.

A fairing system for aft-end drag reduction on a vehicle with a box-shaped enclosure is provided. The fairing system comprises a substantially flat base adapted to mount to an aft-end of the vehicle. A streamlined body is mounted to the base, the body comprising a first and a second flexible skin forming a first and a second portion of an outer surface of the body that extends rearwardly from the aft-end when deployed and is substantially flat when collapsed. In other embodiments the fairing system comprises two wing-shaped bodies that are pivotally movable between a retracted position with the wing-shaped bodies being oriented substantially parallel to the aft-end of the vehicle and a deployed position with the wing-shaped bodies being oriented rearwardly and inwardly.