ZF’s first thermal management system, dubbed TherMaS, uses oil to conduct heat directly away from the motor windings and into one of two typical anti-freeze coolant circuits (the other cools the power electronics). Either or both can be used to warm the cabin and cooling for all is handled by an 800-volt heat-pump circuit using propane as a refrigerant.
Yes, it’s mildly flammable, but RV refrigerators have relied on this refrigerant safely for years, and being a naturally occurring material, we need not worry that over time it will degrade our environment, as has happened with most of the synthetic refrigerants that mankind has dreamed up. This system is said to be more responsive and better able to quickly adjust to, for example, the lower operating temperatures that best suit low-speed/high-torque operation, and the higher temperatures that work well at high speeds and low torque. And with AI and a cloud connection, it’s said to be great at predicting and adapting to driver behavior. All of this is said to extend driving range by a third in cold weather.
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