Electric Vehicle/ Hybrid Electric Vehicle Blog

In a typical household, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) costs are among the biggest contributors to monthly electricity bills. Residential and industrial HVAC systems require significant power to maintain a comfortable indoor environment, operating almost continuously year-round.

The same principles apply to EV HVAC system design. While an EV’s cabin is much smaller than a home, maintaining a comfortable temperature — especially in extreme climates — still demands substantial energy. Any loss of heated or cooled air forces the system to work harder, increasing energy consumption.

When a severe winter storm paralyzed I-95 in Virginia, stranding countless drivers for hours, a critical question arose: 

What would have happened if these vehicles were electric? 

Given that electric vehicle (EV) batteries are known to be sensitive to extreme temperatures, concerns about their performance in cold weather are understandable.

In designing electric vehicles (EVs), efficiency is key.