A review of the thermal performance of electric vehicles

It is becoming widely accepted that the electric vehicle (EV) has found its place in the automobile market as a solution to many topical issues that face governments, policy makers, industrial stakeholders and even individuals in terms of energetic, economic and environmental sustainability. However, issues still surround the reliability of this technology resulting in slow penetration of the EV into the market as a competent competitor. This paper will focus on the cabin heating aspect of the EV. The conventional internal combustion vehicle (ICV) uses `waste' heat from the engine to heat the vehicle. With a battery powered vehicle there is no heat produced to provide thermal comfort to the passenger and so this must be a consideration when looking at the range, longevity and overall performance of the EV. Previous studies have assessed the thermal properties of the vehicle cabin through experimental and modelling analyses. Few studies have considered solar radiation's contribution to space heating of a vehicle's cabin. Figures are presented to illustrate the relationship between temperature difference of ambient temperature and cabin temperature and energy used to heat the vehicle. This paper will refer to experiments carried out on Renault Zoe electric vehicle.