Content Hub | Thermal Management for EV/HEV

In this report, we analyse data collected and provide a clear overview of the current opportunities, challenges, and potential solutions within the thermal management sector throughout 2024. It will examine key trends and market dynamics, highlighting areas of growth and innovation, while also addressing ongoing issues and priorities.  

The Auto IQ Team have compiled our most popular and widely read content this year into an exclusive resource bundle, including:

1. DC Fast Charging and its Impact on Thermal Management | Interview with Sowmya Jayaraman at General Motors
2. Thermal Management - Comparison of Different Types & Uses of New Refrigerants: Interview with Rebecca Bellchambers at S&P Global Mobility
3. Thermal Management is Vital to the Safe, Efficient, and Reliable Operation of EVs

Fill in your details below to download the 2025 content bundle

The automotive industry is widely aware of changing laws regarding refrigerants in Europe, and the potential full ban of existing refrigerants in 2028. With this in mind, the most important factors companies are considering when it comes to new refrigerants is efficiency, cost, and availability in the region and its components. Industry professionals in the thermal management space are now comparing different types and uses of new refrigerants, taking into account what is currently being developed by chemical companies, what suppliers are testing, and how the shift from the existing refrigerant to a carbon dioxide one will affect the system re-design.

Ahead of the Thermal Management for EV/HEV 2024 conference, Automotive IQ spoke with conference speaker, Rebecca Bellchambers, Thermal Research Analyst at S&P Global Mobility to get an understanding of these concepts and concerns.

Passengers want to feel comfortable within their vehicle and for the vehicle to be cool enough when the ambient temperature is hot and vice versa. These elements have implications on how OEMs condition the battery, and this can affect range in a positive or a negative way, often more negative more than positive. Finding this sweet spot in terms of thermal management as the industry is constrained by range has never been more important. With this in mind, Automotive IQ interviewed Alessandro Riccio, Energy and Thermal Performance Engineer at Iveco Group to find out how OEMs can achieve the sweet spot between passenger comfort and range, as well as ways to manage, cool and heat all the high-voltage and low-voltage components within the car depending on what the ambient temperature is.

Interview topic discussions:

• Balancing Passenger Comfort and Vehicle Range

• Industry Trends

• Battery Conditioning Impact

• Challenges in Thermal Management

• Positive and Negative Impacts

• Different Approaches by OEMs

• Comprehensive Temperature Management

Get your copy of this detailed presentation from Dr. Rohith Kasibhatla, Chief Engineer e-Drive Cooling | Electrified Powertrain Technology at ZF Group. The presentation was shown at the Thermal Management for EV/HEV Europe 2023 conference and was broken down into three areas: 

1. ZF Electric Vehicle Drives (eVD) and Modular Kit

2. Overview of Cooling Systems

3. Thermal Design and Simulation of eVDs

We're continuing the conversation with Rohith at the upcoming Thermal Management for EV/HEV Europe 2024 conference, who will be a featured panellist in a discussion with Tier-1s and OEMs, 'Establishing the Relationship Between Thermal Management, Cost, Efficiency & Performance'. 

In this insightful article, we delve into how an optimised Thermal Management system is a key metric for increasing efficiency in EVs. The efficient control of heat across an EV is becoming increasingly pivotal, influencing not just performance but also range, charging times, longevity, passenger comfort, and safety.

Discover how without proper cooling, an EV's lithium-ion battery can experience a significant drop in range, and how elevated battery temperatures during charging can compromise safety and longevity. Experts, including Bob Corbishley from Mahle Powertrain, emphasize the centrality of thermal management in the EV landscape.

This article navigates through the unique challenges that Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (EVs and HEVs) face in thermal management, from battery sensitivity to temperature fluctuations, managing heat generated by components, to the integration complexities of HVAC and powertrain cooling systems. Explore innovative strategies for addressing these challenges, from battery thermal management solutions such as liquid-cooled systems and immersion cooling to advancements in air conditioning control systems.

Gain insights into the delicate balance required to meet diverse thermal requirements of the powertrain, battery, and passenger cabin simultaneously. Furthermore, the article sheds light on the trade-offs involved in thermal management, such as the balance between motor cooling efficiency and cost. It discusses the evolving trends in integrated cooling systems and the role of connectivity, including over-the-air updates, in optimising thermal management strategies for efficiency and reliability.