Ricardo receives grant to improve thermal management
Ricardo has received UK Government funding to optimise in-car thermal and energy management systems to improve EV range and battery performance. A Jaguar I-Pace car serves as a demonstrator vehicle.
Currently, battery-electric vehicle drivers tend to find that their range fluctuates alongside outdoor temperatures. This is not only due to the battery functioning better in ambient temperatures, but also the need for heating or cooling the driver cabin. The project will commence with a Jaguar I-Pace as a demonstrator vehicle, and research the optimisation of energy consumption and driver/passenger comfort, with the aim of increasing electric vehicle range by 5% while reducing overall cost by 10%. Ricardo’s engineers will take a holistic approach to system analysis and “use state-of-the-art digital modelling techniques to optimise the thermal and control systems.”
While Ricardo has studied thermal management systems in EVs before in numerous partnerships, such as with i-CoBAT or Volvo, this is the first project taking a holistic look at the entire system, attempting to unite the previously isolated technologies.
“The UK Government has committed to banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030,” said Teri Hawksworth, President, Ricardo Automotive and Industrial EMEA, adding: “There is a real need for innovative technology solutions which will drive cost out of electrification and enhance electric vehicle performance, efficiency, safety and cost, to encourage consumer take-up.”
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