Type ‘hot spots’ into an internet search engine and you’ll find thousands of articles dedicated to weighing the pros and cons of home electric heating systems.
But many people don’t know that there are heat pumps out there – and for electric cars.
The little known heat pumps of EVs are devices that keep you warm and extend your vehicle’s range.
Heat pumps in electric cars have been around since the 2013 Nissan Leaf, and the 2014 Kia Soul. But recently Teslas have gained more attention.
So, what do EV heat pumps do and how do they work? How much money can they save you?
Here’s our guide to coolant pumps for electric cars, cars already have them, and it’s worth getting one as an extra.
What is an EV heat pump? And what about the circa £1,000 kit, which many new EVs come as standard, to help extend the range? Here are the answers to all your burning questions
What are electric motor heat pumps and how do they work?
An electric car heat pump is a device that uses waste heat from the car’s battery to heat the interior of the EV – and by doing so the EV is more efficient because it runs less. of battery charge.
A common analogy for how a heat pump works is like a refrigerator or freezer.
A heat pump, as the name suggests, pumps heat around. While a refrigerator moves warm air from the inside to the outside, a heat pump moves heat from the outside to the inside.
In seconds the heat pump removes excess heat from the battery and the car’s electronics, and through compression heats the air that is used to heat the EV’s cabin.
The heat pump works like a reverse refrigerator or freezer, using waste heat from the EV’s battery and batteries to heat the cabin to save energy.
How good are EV heat pumps? And will they really help to extend the range?
A heat pump can greatly help improve a car’s efficiency in cold weather, heating the cabin faster and using less energy than a traditional fan heater or air conditioning system. or air.
The better the car, the more miles of range it can cover as the battery consumes less energy.
A winter range test conducted by What Car? It found that electric motors equipped with a heat pump fell below their power range by an average of 25.4 percent, while those without fell below 33.6 percent.
Cars with heat pumps were found to be more efficient, averaging 3.2 miles/kWh, compared to 2.9 miles/kWh for those without.
What are the other benefits of a heat pump?
Heat pumps are also used to keep the battery at an optimal temperature.
Batteries are complex chemicals that perform less well in cold weather so the heat pump comes in to keep the battery at the right temperature for better performance and better charging.
Heat pumps can also work in reverse if the temperature is too hot for the battery to work properly.
When you set your electric motor to ‘pre-discharge’ then the heat pump cools down before the battery eg before you drive or before the car is parked.
The heat pump also keeps the battery at the perfect temperature for optimal and better, faster charging.
Remotely set up an EV heat pump
These days almost all new EVs come with smartphone apps that allow you to set your heat pump and pre-set the car’s temperature to your preferred effect, or leave the car on during which pays also helps to maintain the range.
This means you can stay booked in before getting into a regular car.
Do heat pumps work at all temperatures?
Yes it does, so you don’t need to live in a low-temperature country to benefit – wet, cold and dark Blighty is perfect for EV heat pumps.
Do all EVs come with heat pumps? How much does it cost to get one?
Many new EVs come with heat pumps, but not all.
Luxury brands such as BMW and Tesla offer heat pumps as standard in all their electric cars, as do other premium brands such as Renault.
However many brands do not offer it as standard, such as Audi, Skoda and Volkswagen, and you will need to purchase one as an optional extra.
Heat pumps usually cost around £1,000 to add on as extras but many higher trim points will include one even without the scheme, so it’s worth checking if there’s a dispute. you between the trims.
Is a heat pump worth it?
Heat pumps are a very useful range-extending device in cold weather – but you don’t have to live in sub-freezing climates to take advantage of them.
Although the £1,000-plus is a hefty extra cost, it’s one of the most useful extras – far more useful in the long run than a swish speaker system.
If you’re someone who wants to get all the miles out of your EV and make a lot of long trips it can be very beneficial, especially if you use a fast charging network.
If you are shorter and have to pay at home then it is cheaper to choose, because it will take you longer to pay back the cost, but it is very useful if the EV comes with one as standard .
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