Autoneum is further expanding its know-how in vehicle thermal management with a new state-of-the-art cold chamber at its headquarters in Winterthur, Switzerland.

The tests and measurements carried out in the chamber enable the company to optimise existing technologies as well as carrying out simulation and engineering services to adapt them to the changing thermal requirements of electric vehicles.

With its tailor-made thermal management systems, Autoneum supports vehicle manufacturers in improving energy efficiency, battery performance and reach in electric cars, as well as driver comfort.

The absence of heat from the internal combustion engine in electric vehicles and the impact of ambient temperature on the performance and lifetime of lithium-ion batteries are changing the requirements for vehicle thermal management. In addition, the energy from the battery is not only used to power the e-motor but also to thermally manage the battery itself and to warm and cool the car cabin by means of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

Thanks to the new cold chamber, Autoneum is now able to test, evaluate and optimise products and future innovation opportunities for optimising the thermal management of e-cars even more efficiently.

The chamber enables Autoneum to test both the subjective perception of thermal comfort by occupants and the performance of components and entire vehicles under controlled temperature conditions of up to minus 20 degrees Celsius.

The tests conducted in the chamber show how existing insulating components such as under battery shields, carpets and interior trim need to be optimised to further enhance the thermal management of the vehicle battery and cabin. They also provide valuable insights into the development and optimisation of heated surfaces such as floor mats and door trim panels.

www.autoneum.com