Thermal Management Content Hub

Explore the pivotal insights from our "State of the Market 2024: Automotive Thermal Management" industry report. This comprehensive analysis dives into the pressing challenges, priorities, and goals faced by vehicle manufacturers in the ever-evolving landscape of electric vehicles (EVs).

In this report, we:

• Analyze Survey Data: Gathered from leading experts at global OEMs and suppliers, revealing critical pain points and opportunities.
• Identify Key Challenges: From battery thermal management to integrating innovative cooling solutions for hybrid powertrains.
• Explore Solutions: Cutting-edge technologies like AI-based control strategies, new refrigerants, and advanced cooling systems that promise to transform thermal management.
• Uncover Opportunities: How well-planned thermal management can unlock potential in EV performance, safety, and efficiency.

Why Download This Report?

• Stay Ahead of Trends: Understand the latest thermal management technologies and strategies.
• Address Industry Challenges: Learn about the hurdles manufacturers face and how they are overcoming them.
• Leverage Opportunities: Discover how advancements in thermal management can drive growth and innovation in the automotive sector.
  

While DC-DC fast charging positively impacts the vehicle and mileage, it drives a higher requirement for thermal management onboard the vehicle. This is problematic not only for vehicle manufacturers but also for the end user customer. The thermal management space is in a state of questioning what impact DC-DC fast charging has on the range and mileage of the vehicle and the effect it has on thermal management.

Wanting to know more on the matter, Automotive IQ spoke with Sowmya Jayaraman, Technical Specialist, Thermal Performance & Validation, General Motors, seeking her expertise on these unanswered questions.

Discussion highlights:

• Insights into the relationship between DC fast charging and its impact on vehicle range and mileage in electric and hybrid vehicles.
• Influence of fast charging on thermal management systems within electric and hybrid vehicles and strategies to address these challenges.
• Primary concerns for vehicle manufacturers regarding the integration of DC fast charging technology considering customer satisfaction.
• Innovative approaches or technologies being developed or deployed to mitigate thermal impacts associated with DC fast charging in electric and hybrid vehicles.
• Evolution of thermal management systems in electric and hybrid vehicles in response to increasing demand for faster charging solutions.
• Best practices for integrating DC fast charging technology in the future.
  

This presentation by Dr. Manilo V. Morganti of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) delves into advanced control strategies designed to enhance the efficiency of electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). The presentation begins by defining "efficiency" in the context of thermal management and control processes within the automotive sector.

Dr. Morganti illustrates practical examples from both EVs and PHEVs, highlighting improvements in the Jaguar I-Pace, which achieved significant reductions in energy consumption and enhancements in cabin comfort through model predictive control. Key topics include:

• The foundational principles of efficiency in automotive thermal management.
• Control processes and their impacts on vehicle subsystems.
• Case studies demonstrating efficiency gains and system optimization.
• The role of new thermal management software platforms.
• Future directions and lessons learned from ongoing research and development.

By downloading this presentation, you will gain insights into JLR's cutting-edge methodologies for optimizing vehicle performance, range, and component longevity through sophisticated control strategies and iterative testing processes.

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.

OEMs are looking for a wide variety global and North American suppliers with thermal solutions in heat pumps, for ADAS technologies, alternative refrigerants, simulation, electronics and more.

Ensure your company is represented in the room - this is your opportunity to build the business relationships you want with North America’s leading OEM and Tier 1 companies. We can help you by creating a partnership package that will help you meet your business development objectives for 2024 and beyond.

Download your pack to find out more about our offering.

The 2024 technical agenda is 100% driven by intelligence gathered from vehicle manufacturers, Tier-1 and Tier 2/3 companies.

Download the 2024 agenda for session details, speakers, and deep dives into the following topics and more:

• New in 2024: Focus on the industry shift to hybrids
• Thermal Management at multiple weather conditions
• Battery pack thermal management
• Deep dive into alternative refrigerants & heat pumps
• DC-DC fast charging & impact on thermal management

And much more!