Electric vehicle energy storage is heating up

Can thermal energy storage be used in electric vehicles?

In addition to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), thermal energy storage (TES) could also play a role in other types of EVs, such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEVs), etc.

What is the energy storage system in an electric vehicle?

The energy storage system is the most important component of the electric vehicle and has been so since its early pioneering days. This system can have various designs depending on the selected technology (battery packs, ultracapacitors, etc.).

How does an EV heat up a car?

On top of this, the whole EV works overtime to warm things up. Its thermal management system, which regulates the temperature of the battery, electric motor and other components, also drains the charge. And when a driver flips on the cabin’s heat, the battery must power the HVAC system and other devices such as the defroster and seat warmers.

How does heat affect an EV?

Heat adversely affects EVs in two situations: Leaving your EV battery at a very low percentage of charge. A car’s thermal management requires energy, so keep your battery charged to help the car keep its battery cool. Letting a car sit for weeks in the hot sun. That’s harder on an EV than parking it in the shade or outdoors.

Does heating a car reduce the range of an EV?

At low temperatures, heating the cabin consumes a large portion of battery stored energy of an EV, which leads to a significant reduction in driving range.

How does thermal energy storage affect eV energy consumption?

Tesla, recommends using seat heaters instead of cabin heating to reduce energy consumption for its Model S users . Thermal energy storage (TES) technology offers another relatively inexpensive solution to extend the driving range of EVs . Fig. 13 shows the effects of thermal storage on HVAC energy consumption.