Hanon Methods, an automotive components manufacturing firm headquartered in Daejeon, South Korea, has developed a fourth-generation warmth pump system for EVs, in addition to Skinny HVAC, an HVAC system for EVs that’s 30% smaller than the everyday mannequin in use at this time.
The corporate’s new warmth pump employs a parallel warmth supply restoration technique that makes use of waste warmth from the motor and battery in addition to warmth from the skin air. The recovered warmth is used for each heating and cooling, in addition to battery temperature administration, a characteristic that may improve driving vary.
“By frequently refining our warmth pump system design to enhance effectivity and scale back energy consumption necessities, Hanon Methods has contributed to extending EV driving vary with its newest providing,” Subu Nagasubramony, the corporate’s co-CEO, mentioned. Nagasubramony emphasised that the corporate’s designs give attention to using “light-weight” and “high-efficiency” parts.
MORE: Why warmth pumps are dominating EV HVAC programs
The query of which new strategies can be utilized for heating an EV’s cabin isn’t an insignificant one. The present method to heating the inside of an auto has been round since 1893, when the pioneering mechanical engineer Margaret Wilcox patented a way for warming passengers by directing air throughout the engine manifold and into the automobile‘s inside. Quickly afterward, engine coolant grew to become the medium for warmth switch. Utilizing waste vitality is wise; losing vitality isn’t, and therein lies the rub.
Earlier strategies used to heat EV cabins included resistive heaters, which warmth wires from electrical energy after which blow air over them. That course of attracts appreciable vitality from the battery. Others, together with the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Bolt, heat the cabin through the use of their high-voltage battery packs to warmth antifreeze for the heater core.
These approaches are essential as a result of, not like ICE autos, which use the surplus warmth from the engine to heat the cabin, EVs produce little or no waste warmth and due to this fact should depend on their batteries to heat issues up. Frigid winter temperatures pose separate challenges for EVs, together with decreased vary, as a result of the battery’s potential to carry and discharge vitality as effectively because it does in hotter months decreases noticeably.
A rising variety of EVs now include warmth pumps for thermal administration, however the Hanon system harnesses each battery waste warmth and exterior air warmth sources, a mix that will increase an EV’s vary moderately than lowering it. The brand new Skinny HVAC providing can be 30% smaller, and due to this fact intrudes into the passenger cabin to a lesser extent, permitting EV makers to supply drivers and passengers extra legroom.
The brand new warmth pump know-how has been obtainable since July 2024 and was first carried out within the Kia EV3, as was Skinny HVAC.
Supply: Hanon Methods
