International. MAHLE has developed a new cabin heat recovery system that reduces the energy consumption of the air conditioning system in electric vehicles by up to 20 percent, directly improving the range per battery charge and thermal efficiency in winter conditions.
The solution, called MAHLE HeatX Range+, recovers thermal energy from the cabin's exhaust air to preheat incoming fresh air, reducing heating demand without compromising indoor air quality or HVAC system performance. According to tests carried out by the company, this technology made it possible to increase the driving range by almost 10 kilometers in a standard medium-sized electric vehicle, operating at an outdoor temperature of -7 °C and an interior temperature of 20 °C.
"The heat recovery concept maximizes the daily use of electric vehicles in winter and makes a decisive contribution to increasing the attractiveness of e-mobility," said Martin Wellhoeffer, member of the MAHLE Group Management Board and responsible for the Thermal and Fluid Systems business unit.
The system uses the air conditioning evaporator to extract thermal energy from the air that is expelled from the cabin. During this process, the exhaust air heats the coolant before leaving the vehicle. The refrigerant then transfers that energy to fresh intake air, which enters the preheated cabin, thus reducing the energy load on the heating system compared to conventional solutions.
In addition to the improvement in energy efficiency, MAHLE stresses that the continuous supply of oxygen-rich fresh air contributes to high indoor air quality and reduces the risk of glass fogging – a key factor for driver safety and comfort.
The modular design of the HeatX Range+ allows for easy and cost-effective integration into existing vehicle architectures, making it a viable solution for both new developments and current platforms. According to the company, the system does not generate negative impacts on the airflow or acoustic behavior of the air conditioning system.
The technology is designed to operate with R1234yf refrigerant, although it can be adapted to alternative refrigerants with minor modifications. MAHLE supports this development in its previous experience in automotive air conditioning systems. "As early as the 1990s, we introduced the 'Economizer', the first cabin heat recovery concept for passenger cars and commercial vehicles," recalled Dr. Uli Christian Blessing, Vice President R&D Thermal and Fluid Systems at MAHLE.
With this development, MAHLE reinforces the trend towards more efficient thermal systems, a key component in improving energy performance and the adoption of electric vehicles in cold climates.
