Tesla Heat Pump: How does it work?
Tesla Inc is known for its electric vehicle revolution throughout the world. The company drew attention to electric vehicles and brought them to the mainstream. Traditionally the market is dominant with IC engines causing emission problems. With a Tesla heat pump, you can now take your Tesla at any temperature.
Although electric vehicles have a terrible name for their performance in cold weather. In cold weather, EVs charge very slowly and have a terrible range. Furthermore, EVs are bound to lose range very fast in freezing temperatures. This new Heat Pump is a solution to all these problems. So, now you can concur about any weather easily.
Overview
Tesla heat pump is nothing but, you can say, an air conditioner in reverse in commoner’s language. However, technology is not as easy as it sounds. It needs a lot of innovation and failed attempts to get the final product running.
Furthermore, the heat pump draws in excess heat from the powertrain. Then use that heat to maximize the supercharging speeds and increase the range substantially in cold weather.
How does Tesla Heat Pump work?
The heat pump is not a new concept. They now exist for some years by now. However, they fall short due lack of reliability. They are complex and have lots of components. Tesla did the exact opposite. Tesla Heat Pump has very few components. Reducing components increase the efficiency and reliability manifold.
The new heat pump design contains an important component called a Super manifold. This manifold is nothing but two layers of PCB assembly. In an average car, all this will require at least 15-20 components. So instead, Tesla assembled everything into a single piece.
Furthermore, the heat pump can use the heat generated by the battery in the ordinary course of its use. It can also harvest heat from drive units to make the cabin comfortable.
In addition, the octa valve is another innovative component that helps cool and heat the car. The design of the octa valve is a barrel shape valve that churns according to different modes. As a result, different pairs of ports get activated according to other conditions. So, instead of two valves, Tesla only made one with out of a box design.
In conclusion, Tesla Heat Pump is out of a box design with significantly fewer components and the highest efficiency reducing cost and increasing reliability at the same time.
Image Courtesy: Tesla
Watch Tesla Heat Pump In Action:
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