CLEVER: CLimate control solution for EVs with Extended mileage Range

Air conditioning in vehicles is very energy intensive. In internal combustion engines up to 8% of the fuel is used, but in EVs there is limited waste heat that can be reused. This means that up to 40% of the energy within the battery can be required, which directly impacts the range of the vehicle. One way to address this is to engage the recirculation mode more frequently, but this has limited use, particularly in vehicles with many passengers, as carbon dioxide (CO2) levels build up as a result of the occupants breathing.

The CLEVER project (CLimate control solution for EVs with Extended mileage Range) aims to show that the air within the vehicle can be actively managed like a bubble, so that on recirculation mode, CO2 and other contaminants are kept to set levels. This concept has the potential to increase the range of electric vehicles by 25%, whilst simultaneously protecting passengers from external pollutants. It is achieved by using a regenerable CO2 scrubber, that captures CO2 from the cabin, and periodically releases it to the outside.