Application Scenarios Of Electric Vehicle Electric Heaters

1. Cabin Air Heating

Electric vehicles rely on dedicated electric heaters to warm the passenger compartment, especially when waste-heat from an engine is unavailable.

• PTC Air Heaters Resistive heaters made from PTC ceramics heat incoming cabin air. They deliver rapid warm-up and defrost performance but draw significant power from the battery.
• Heat Pump Systems By reversing a vapor-compression cycle, heat pumps “pump” ambient heat into the cabin. With typical COPs of 2–3, they greatly outperform pure resistive heaters in moderate temperatures, though efficiency falls off below –10 °C.

2. Battery Conditioning

Maintaining battery temperature within its optimal range (15 – 35 °C) is critical for performance, safety, and longevity.

• Coolant-PTC Heaters Resistive elements heat the coolant loop, which in turn warms the battery pack. This method ensures uniform temperature rise but requires time to circulate heat through the system.
• Phase-Change Materials (PCM) Experimental systems embed PCM adjacent to cells. During charging or braking, excess heat is stored in the PCM and released when temperatures drop, reducing reliance on active heaters.

3. Windshield and Window Defrost/Defog

Clear vision is vital for safety, especially in cold, humid climates.

• Embedded PTC Wires or Films Heating elements laminated inside the glass rapidly melt ice and clear fog without relying solely on airflow.
• Heat Pump Defrost Mode Some advanced HVAC systems switch to a dry-air heat-pump configuration, combining dehumidification with heating to speed demisting.

4. Drive-Unit and Power Electronics Pre-Warm

Low temperatures can degrade performance of electric motors and inverters.

• Coolant-Loop Preheating Before high-power driving, the coolant circuit passes through a PTC heater to raise motor and inverter temperatures, ensuring optimal lubrication and efficiency.
• Joule-Self-Heating Pulsed current techniques gently heat cell internals or electronics by controlled resistive losses, coordinated by the battery management system.

5. Integrated High-Voltage Cabin Heater (HVCH)

HVCH modules consolidate cabin heating, battery pre-heating, and electronic component warming into one compact unit. By sharing hardware and coolant circuits, they save space, reduce weight, and boost overall efficiency.