We are pleased to share a major milestone in the EFFEREST project: a comprehensive benchmarking campaign involving three electric vehicles (EVs), carried out under controlled thermal conditions. The goal? To investigate the critical trade-off between cabin comfort and energy consumption—an increasingly important factor in EV performance and user satisfaction.
Test Setup Overview
The benchmarking tests were conducted using a chassis dynamometer, with vehicles soaked and tested at three ambient temperatures:
0°C, 20°C, and 35°C.
To simulate real-world driving, the vehicles were subjected to the following driving cycles:
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WLTC (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Cycle)
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Three custom driving cycles developed by BOSCH: Short, Commuter, and Long
All vehicles were tested using standardized settings:
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HVAC: Auto
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Cabin target temperature: 22°C
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Drive mode: Standard/Comfort
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Recuperation: Maximum
Objective Comfort Assessment
To complement the energy consumption measurements, a thermal manikin provided by CTAG – Centro Tecnológico de Automoción de Galicia was installed in the target vehicle. This enabled objective thermal comfort evaluations, which will serve as a benchmark for the upcoming EFFEREST demonstrator vehicle.
Key Results and Insights
The test results reveal a significant challenge in the current EV landscape: the balance between thermal comfort and energy efficiency varies widely between vehicle models.
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BEV1 demonstrated relatively low energy consumption across all temperature ranges. However, at 0°C, it failed to maintain adequate cabin warmth, reaching only an average of 17.1°C by the end of the WLTC cycle.
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BEV2 and BEV3 offered much better cabin comfort in cold conditions but required substantially higher energy input to do so.
This trade-off highlights a fundamental challenge in electric vehicle design: enhancing comfort often leads to increased energy consumption—and vice versa.
Shaping the Future of EV Thermal Management
EFFEREST is addressing this challenge head-on. By developing and validating advanced thermal management strategies, the project aims to deliver solutions that harmonize energy efficiency with passenger comfort—setting a new benchmark for the next generation of electric mobility.
Stay tuned as we continue pushing the boundaries of EV innovation.