Work

Are Heat Pumps Helpful in EVs in the Arctic?

Year: 2025

Type: conference-paper

Abstract: Thermal management of electric vehicles (EVs) impacts battery range, especially in cold temperatures. EV manufacturers, such as Tesla, have started transitioning from using resistive heating to heat pumps for thermal management; these are generally considered to be more energy efficient than resistive heating systems, and are reported to increase winter range in EVs. However, there is a temperature below which the heat pump will not operate more efficiently than resistive heating. Crowdsourced data from eight Teslas operated in extreme cold temperatures in Alaska show mixed results. This indicates that the performance benefit of heat pumps may be muted and obscured by other factors that affect vehicle efficiency in extremely cold climates.

Source: Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15832390

Authors: Dolan, Cameron, Egbejimba, Jessica, Wilber, Michelle, Toal, Henry

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Battery Technologies Research

Subfield: Automotive Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Climate action

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research

Awards: G454546671, Collaborative Research: NNA Research: Electric Vehicles in the Arctic (EVITA) - Interactions with Cold Weather, Microgrids, People, and Policy