A heat pump air conditioner refers to the air conditioning system used in electric vehicles. Unlike the PTC air conditioning commonly equipped in many electric vehicles, it can effectively reduce energy consumption and increase the driving range.
Unlike traditional gasoline vehicles, electric vehicles do not have an engine and, therefore, lack a cooling system that carries a significant amount of heat. In winter, they need to use a PTC air conditioner, which heats using electric heating elements. Its principle is similar to an electric hot pad, using a positive temperature coefficient thermistor as the heat source. When powered on, under a constant voltage, the current increases, and the heat output grows, providing a heat source. This approach demands a considerable amount of electrical energy, impacting the driving range and becoming a common complaint among electric vehicle owners.
Heat pump air conditioning employs an entirely different solution. You can understand its operation similarly to a water pump: it acts as a "mover" of heat. It absorbs the heat from a low-temperature "object" (including gases and liquids) and transfers it to the working fluid. The system then compresses the working fluid to raise its temperature. Ultimately, the high-temperature working fluid exchanges heat with the vehicle's interior air through a condenser, achieving the heating function. (In summer, by reversing the heat transfer direction, it absorbs heat from the passenger cabin to cool it.) Throughout this process, the battery's electric energy is only used to "move" the heat, fulfilling the objective of energy conservation.
