According to foreign media reports, on June 9, local time, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation announced new details of their innovative heat pump system. The system is deployed in Hyundai and Kia's global electric vehicle (EV) series models, which can maximize the vehicle's pure electric range at low temperatures.
Hyundai and Kia's heat pumps are a leading thermal management innovation that can maximize the cruising range of Hyundai and Kia's electric vehicles and collect waste heat to heat the cabin. Unlike other electric vehicles, this technology allows electric vehicle drivers to heat the interior of the vehicle in cold weather conditions without significantly affecting the range of the electric vehicle.
The technology first appeared on the first-generation Kia Soul electric model in 2014. The heat pump is composed of a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser. It can absorb waste heat released by automotive electronic components and recover such energy to efficiently heat the car cabin. Even under cold driving conditions, this technology can protect the electric range of 180 km of the Sauer model from being reduced.
Now, for the new Hyundai and Kia electric models, the industry-leading heat pump system has been further developed. The new heat pump system can obtain waste heat from more sources, so that in cold weather, the range of electric vehicles can be optimized. This type of innovation means that Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles can guarantee a consistent cruising range under different temperature conditions, while other electric vehicles will have a significantly reduced cruising range under the same temperature conditions. Kona Electric's electric models are equipped with the latest heat pump technology and have been tested in Norway, the world's most advanced electric vehicle market, which proves this.
Kona electric models pass Norway's real cruising range verification test
Recently, the Norwegian Automotive Federation (NAF) compared 20 electric vehicles in cold and warm weather conditions to identify the models with the most consistent cruising range and the best charging performance. The test monitors the performance of each car under cold weather conditions and compares the results with the numbers provided by the manufacturer.
The Kona electric model won the first place, with a cruising range of 405 kilometers in the cold. Under the WLTP combined cycle test conditions (23°C / 73°F), the cruising range of the model is 449 kilometers. In contrast, in the severe cold, the Kona electric vehicle's battery life is 91% of the WLTP combined cycle battery life, and the deviation from the pure electric cruising range number provided by it is only 9%.
How it works: Electric car cabins can be heated without consuming energy
Hyundai and Kia's heat pump technology debuted on the Kia Soul model six years ago. Since then, this industry-leading heat pump technology has been further developed for the new Hyundai and Kia electric models. Now, the technology can not only recover the extra waste heat of power electronic modules (such as drive motors, car chargers and inverters), but also recover waste heat from battery packs and slow chargers, thereby significantly increasing the energy obtained.
This technology uses the heat generated by the above components to evaporate the refrigerant from the liquid state to the gas state. First, high-pressure gas is discharged from the compressor, then forced into the condenser, and then converted into liquid. This process generates additional heat energy, which can be recovered by the heat pump and used to heat the cabin.
Such captured energy can increase the efficiency of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems and can be recycled to heat the cabin more efficiently and minimize battery power consumption. By reducing the battery load, the heat pump reduces the energy consumption of the HVAC system and maximizes the available electric range of the car.
To further improve energy capture and efficiency, Hyundai and Kia continue to develop heat pump technology. Since the system was first launched in 2014, it has been gradually improved after testing in extreme cold weather (-35°C) in northern Sweden. Through testing in extremely cold weather conditions, research engineers have identified ways to recover as much waste heat as possible to improve the efficiency of the heat pump system. Testing the technology under such conditions can ensure that the heat pump can work properly even in the coldest environment.
Thermal management of battery pack extends the mileage of electric vehicles
This heat pump is one of the many innovative technologies of Hyundai and Kia's new generation of electric models. Moreover, Hyundai and Kia also use battery thermal management functions to greatly improve the performance of electric vehicle battery packs.
Modern and Kia electric vehicle battery packs use a water cooling system instead of the traditional air cooling system, which can further extend the battery's range without increasing the physical size. This innovation means that the batteries of Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles can be packed more tightly, because the water-cooled aisle takes up less space than the air-cooled aisle, and ultimately can increase the battery density by 35%.
In addition, this innovative technology also means that the range and battery capacity of Hyundai and Kia’s latest electric vehicles are about twice that of the first generation of electric vehicles, and they can travel farther after a single charge. For example, the first generation of Seoul electric vehicles provided 30kWh lithium-ion polymer battery packs for car owners. When fully charged, the car can travel 180 kilometers. The second-generation Sioux electric car is equipped with a 64kWh battery pack, occupying the same space, but can travel 386 kilometers after a single charge.
A study conducted by Korea's Ministry of the Environment on Hyundai Kona electric models and Kia Niro models found that under cold conditions, heat pumps significantly reduce battery energy consumption. When the vehicle is driving at -7°C, while the HVAC system is active, the vehicle can maintain a 90% cruising range compared to driving at 26°C. This is set for other electric vehicles. Set a new benchmark. In contrast, many electric models of other manufacturers under the same conditions, the range of pure electric range dropped by 18% to 34%.
Further development of heat pump technology
Hyundai and Kia will continue to improve the heat pump system and other thermal management innovations, and such technologies are also affecting the development of the brand's next-generation electric vehicles.
According to Hyundai Motor's "Strategy 2025" plan, the company's goal is to sell 670,000 pure electric vehicles and FCEVs (fuel cell vehicles) annually by 2025 and become the top three electric vehicles manufacturer. Kia's mid- and long-term strategy "Plan S" shows that the company plans to launch 11 electric models by 2025. (Yu Qiuyun)
Furniture Handle,Minimalist Glass Door Handle,Copper Black Circular Handle,Zinc Alloy Modern Handle
Zhaoqing Muyi Hardware Products Co., Ltd , https://www.mywjhandle.com