EV Cabin Preconditioning to Preserve Battery Range
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Solution Overview
Problem
Extreme temperatures significantly reduce the range of electric vehicle batteries, with heating and cooling systems being major energy consumers that drain the battery, especially when the vehicle is not connected to a charging source.
Innovation Solution
A temperature management system that preconditions the cabin to a desired temperature while the EV is connected to a charging point, and then adjusts the temperature incrementally during travel to conserve battery power, using the charging station's power supply rather than the EV's battery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cabin is preconditioned to a desired temperature while the EV is connected to a charging point, then occupant comfort is improved, but battery power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system preconditions the cabin to a desired temperature while the EV is connected to a charging point, performing the energy-intensive climate control operation in advance before the vehicle needs to rely on its battery for travel. This preliminary action ensures occupant comfort upon departure while preserving battery power for the journey.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the temperature is adjusted incrementally during travel, then battery power conservation is improved, but temperature control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system adjusts the cabin temperature at periodic intervals during travel rather than maintaining continuous aggressive climate control. By making incremental adjustments at predetermined distance intervals or time intervals, the system reduces overall energy consumption while still providing adequate temperature regulation throughout the journey.
3Ease of operation
If heating and cooling systems operate at full capacity, then occupant comfort is improved, but driving range deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs full-capacity heating or cooling operations in advance while the vehicle is connected to external power, preparing the cabin for occupant comfort without depleting battery reserves that would limit driving range. This separates the comfort-preparation phase from the travel phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the intensity of heating and cooling operations based on the vehicle's charging status and travel phase. During charging, the system can operate at higher capacity; during travel, it modulates to lower intensity operations that preserve battery range while maintaining adequate comfort levels.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system maintains occupant comfort while significantly extending the EV's driving range by minimizing battery power consumption for climate control, especially in extreme weather conditions.
Implementation Method 1
one or both of a heating system and a cooling system of the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
one or both of a heating system and a cooling system of the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
An example operation includes one or more of preconditioning a cabin of an electric vehicle (EV) to an initial temperature while the EV is connected to a charging point, monitoring movement of the EV as it maneuvers toward a destination, adjusting the initial temperature of the cabin at predetermined distance intervals while the EV maneuvers to the destination, and sensing a temperature within the cabin while the EV maneuvers to the destination and stopping the adjusting when the temperature within the cabin reaches a predefined value.