<![CDATA[Climate change issues and dependence on fossil fuels have driven a rapid increase in electric vehicle development, including electric shuttle buses for public transportation. Although superior in emissions and noise levels, these vehicles still face challenges in energy efficiency, particularly due to aerodynamic drag at medium to high speeds. This study aims to analyze the wake zone characteristics and Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) distribution on a 14-seat electric shuttle bus to comprehensively understand the mechanisms of aerodynamic drag. The method employed is a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation using the SST turbulence model. Simulations were conducted at velocity variations of 20 km/h, 40 km/h, and 60 km/h. The simulation results indicate that increasing velocity strengthens the flow separation phenomenon, triggering an expansion of the wake zone length from 19.51 cm to 30.05 cm. This expansion correlates linearly with a sharp surge in the maximum TKE value from 530 m2/s2 to 6,100 m2/s2, which significantly contributes to the increase in total drag force. These findings imply that aerodynamic evaluation should not solely rely on the global drag coefficient but must also account for the management of wake structures and turbulent energy. Ultimately, this research provides a strategic foundation for vehicle body design optimization to enhance the energy efficiency and driving range of electric shuttle buses.]]>
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