Auburn Hills, Mich.-based BorgWarner, a provider of technology solutions for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles, is supplying its high-voltage positive temperature coefficient (PTC) cabin heating technology for the latest electric ES8 SUV from Chinese automaker NIO.
The advanced heating solution quickly warms the cabin and defrosts windows for enhanced comfort and driving visibility, says BorgWarner.
“In the booming electric vehicle (EV) market, minimizing the impact from the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system on the driving range of EVs has become a growing challenge,” states Joe Fadool, president and general manager of BorgWarner emissions and thermal systems. “At BorgWarner, we are constantly developing innovative solutions to increase the efficiency of modern vehicles with all kinds of propulsion systems. We are thrilled to help NIO achieve excellent energy management and maximize cabin comfort with our advanced PTC cabin heating technology. We also look forward to expanding our partnership with NIO in other segments of electric propulsion.”
BorgWarner’s PTC cabin heating technology features double-insulation protection that can meet 4.3 kV DC dielectric strength. Combined, the heater rod and fin designs provide dual-zone functionality, allowing the precise and quick delivery of individual temperatures for the driver and passengers and eliminating the noise and waste caused by single-zone heaters, the company says. The cabin heating system features ceramic PTC components that have very low electrical resistance at low temperatures, facilitating full current flow and high heat delivery. At high temperatures, the effect is reversed, and less heat is released by shutting down the electricity flow due to the increased resistance of the ceramic stones, according to BorgWarner.