Patent ID: 8033594

Claim:
A drag reduction apparatus for the rear end of a cargo-carrying compartment of a cargo-hauling ground vehicle, said cargo-carrying compartment being characterized by a substantially planar rear wall formed substantially in its entirety by at least one rear door, the drag reduction apparatus comprising at least one non-planar air deflection element, and a plurality of associated support members coupling said at least one air deflection element to an associated portion of the exterior surface of said cargo-carrying compartment that is adjacent and substantially orthogonal to said rear wall, said at least one air deflection element having a leading edge and a trailing edge, said plurality of associated support members allowing selective displacement of said at least one air deflection element between a retracted position and at least one deployed position, said at least one deployed position comprising at least a first deployed position and a second deployed position, and wherein in said retracted position the leading edge of said at least one air deflection element is substantially flush with said associated portion of said exterior surface and the trailing edge of said at least one air deflection element substantially abuts said associated portion of said exterior surface.