Dutch supercar manufacturer Donkervoort Automobielen has teamed up with Australian thermal technology specialist Conflux Technology to develop 3D printed water-charge air coolers (WCAC) for the upcoming P24 RS model, marking a milestone in the application of Formula 1-grade additive manufacturing for road-legal vehicles.
The collaboration, detailed in the latest “Living the Drive: Engineering Chapter” from Donkervoort, centers around an ultra-lightweight, compact thermal management system developed using additive manufacturing. The new liquid-to-air WCAC units weigh just 1.4 kg each, compared to the 16 kg of traditional air-to-air systems, delivering enhanced throttle response, improved packaging, and a significant reduction in engine bay volume.
“We challenged ourselves to find the best way to keep intake air cold, and Conflux delivered,” said Denis Donkervoort, Managing Director at Donkervoort. “We gave Conflux our exact specifications, and they delivered a solution so effective, we could even downsize it from the original prototype.”
Each Conflux air cooler is custom 3D printed in aluminium alloy with tailored fin geometry, density, and dimensions to fit directly between the PTC engine’s turbochargers and throttle bodies. The units are supported by a thin-wall radiator system requiring less coolant and surface area than conventional radiators.
Michael Fuller, Founder of Conflux, added: “This is Formula 1 cooling technology, scaled for the road. Collaborations like this show how additive manufacturing can deliver high-performance solutions in limited-production automotive environments.”
By relocating the WCACs into the engine bay and shortening the inlet tract, the system provides faster air delivery to the combustion chamber, thereby boosting engine efficiency and driver responsiveness. Combined with Van der Lee’s billet turbochargers, this thermal innovation is a core element of Donkervoort’s evolution of its lightweight PTC engine platform.
Additive manufacturing reshapes thermal systems across high-performance sectors
This announcement follows Conflux Technology’s broader push into international markets and automotive applications. In April 2025, the company launched a UK hub to support European customers and expand production of its 3D printed heat exchangers. Conflux is among a growing number of firms leveraging additive manufacturing to rethink thermal systems, recent research has shown that 3D printed condensers can outperform traditional designs, underscoring the performance benefits of AM-enabled cooling solutions.
Other developments include Conflux’s partnership with Rocket Factory Augsburg to integrate 3D-printed heat exchangers into orbital rockets and its release of high-performance cartridge-style heat exchanger designed for fluid control systems in automotive and industrial environments.
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Featured image shows the Donkervoort P24 RS air coolers sitting in the engine bay.
Photo via Donkervoort Automobielen.
