Researchers from the University of Birmingham in the UK have developed a secondary energy storage system for EVs to boost driving range during hot or cold weather.
Using an EV’s climate control system whilst driving can consume a significant amount of electric power, reducing ranges by up to 40pc.
Combining a chemical heat pump with microwave energy, the researchers have produced a system called an e-Thermal bank that produces heating or cooling on demand.
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“Heating and cooling the EV cabin requires considerable energy and is the most significant contributor to EV range reduction. We aimed to offload these thermal management tasks to a microwave driven process,” says Yongliang Li, Chair in Thermal Energy Engineering in Birmingham’s School of Chemical Engineering.
The secondary system would be charged at an EV charging station at the same time as the battery by using microwave energy.
The researchers predict that e-Thermal banks could provide a range extension of up to 70pc, at a lower cost than increasing battery capacity.
University of Birmingham Enterprise has filed a patent application covering the e-Thermal bank system and is seeking commercial partners for licensing collaboration or co-development.
Tom is an experienced business writer, specialised in the energy transition
Tom is passionate about Electric Vehicles and how Tesla, BYD, Rivian, Lucid and others are transforming automotive
