- Heat pumps in our homes have already evidenced energy savings of up to 65%, but it’s not just buildings where we’re finding these energy saving devices.
- They’re also finding their way into the newest EVs, helping to drive efficiency and range even further.
- Here’s how heat pumps work in an EV application, and why you should consider one on your next EV.
How do heat pumps work?
Heat pumps are a more energy efficient method of generating heat, and in an EV application, essentially work in the same way that a heat pump installed in a building would. Heat in the air, alongside excess heat from EV systems like the battery and drive system, is compressed by the pump, with this compression heating the air further. Finally, this air is brought into the EV cabin helping raise the temperature without resorting to a more energy-zapping heating coil.
Think of it as an inside-out refrigerator – while a fridge pumps atmospheric heat out, a heat pump brings this heat inside.
The benefits of heat pumps in EVs
EVs themselves generate relatively little heat in usage, compared to conventional ICE vehicles – once again highlighting the energy efficiency of EVs. However, this means that unlike internal combustion engines, which generate enough waste heat from operation to effectively heat a cabin, an EV does not generate enough waste heat to do the same.
Without a heat pump being installed on an EV, this means that in-car heating needs to be generated through a heating coil, which can be more energy zapping. This is why, on some EVs, a drop in range throughout the colder winter months, when cabin heating is frequently used, can be noticeable.
These energy efficiency benefits will also vary depending on the climate in the area you’re driving – if the heating will rarely be used, the cost saving benefits of a heat pump will take longer to be paid back, while in a colder climate, range loss from using a transistor heater will be avoided. The use of a heat pump also gives predictability to EV range year round, regardless of the temperature.
Which EVs have heat pumps?
Nissan’s pioneering Leaf was not only the first modern mass-market EV, but also the first to have the option of a heat pump from standard. But now, even some of the most affordable electric cars come with a heat pump as standard – like the Renault 5 E-Tech. The Tesla Model Y, the most popular EV on the market, also comes with one as standard. It’s still an at-cost option on some EVs however – a heat pump on a new Ford Explorer will set you back £1,050.
