A motor vehicle includes a hybrid drive having an internal combustion engine and an electric drive motor, and an air conditioning system having a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, and an electric motor configured to operate the compressor and to start the internal combustion engine as electric starter when being coupled with the internal combustion engine. The electric motor has an inverter to operate the electric motor directly with high voltage of a high-voltage onboard electrical system of the motor vehicle so as to enable the electric motor to apply a mechanical torque for re-staring the internal combustion engine in case of need in the absence of any assistance from the electric drive motor. A clutch device mechanically couples the electric motor of the air conditioning system with the internal combustion engine in response to a control signal.

Systems and method for charging the battery of an electric vehicle (EV) and climatically controlling the inside cabin of the electric vehicle are described. The methods include detecting that an EV is electrically connected to a charging station and then determining the current temperature inside the EV. Climatic user preferences can be retrieved and used to determine a desired climate inside the cabin when the user returns to the vehicle. Using the desired climate inside the cabin to determine an estimated charge, where the estimated charge is sufficient to both obtain the desired climate inside the cabin by the time the users return and have the battery of the vehicle charged to an acceptable level.

A heat pump system for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a battery coolant line connected to a battery module. A cooling device selectively connected to the battery coolant line includes a radiator and a first water pump, to circulate a coolant therein. A first chiller is disposed in the battery coolant line and connected to a refrigerant line of an air conditioner to adjust a temperature of a coolant. A second chiller is selectively connected to the coolant line and selectively connected to the refrigerant line to increase a temperature of a coolant by selectively exchanging heat between the coolant and a refrigerant flowing into the second chiller. An integrated control valve is connected to the refrigerant line, the first connecting line, and the second connecting line to adjust a refrigerant flow direction and to selectively expand a refrigerant passing through the integrated control valve.

A heat pump system can be used with a vehicle. A cooling system includes a radiator connected to a cooling line and a first water pump and circulating a coolant along the cooling line so as to cool an electric component. A battery module is provided on a battery cooling line selectively connected to the cooling line through a first valve. And HVAC module includes an internal heater connected to the cooling line through a first connection line, a cooler connected to the battery cooling line through a second connection line, and an opening or closing door provided between the internal heater and the cooler and controlling external air passing through the cooler to be selectively introduced into the internal heater depending on cooling, heating, and heating and dehumidifying modes of the vehicle. A centralized energy is connected to each of the battery cooling line and the cooling line.

A heat pump system for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a battery coolant line connected to a battery module. A cooling device selectively connected to the battery coolant line includes a radiator and a first water pump, to circulate a coolant therein. A first chiller is disposed in the battery coolant line and connected to a refrigerant line of an air conditioner to adjust a temperature of a coolant. A second chiller is selectively connected to the coolant line and selectively connected to the refrigerant line to increase a temperature of a coolant by selectively exchanging heat between the coolant and a refrigerant flowing into the second chiller. An integrated control valve is connected to the refrigerant line, the first connecting line, and the second connecting line to adjust a refrigerant flow direction and to selectively expand a refrigerant passing through the integrated control valve.

A drive train of a hybrid motor vehicle has an internal combustion engine (4), at least one first electric motor (16), at least a first clutch arrangement (6), at least one gear assembly (8), a storage arrangement and at least one auxiliary unit, such as an air conditioning compressor. The internal combustion engine (4) is connected drivingly to a first drive axle (14) via the clutch arrangement (6) and the gear assembly (8), and the first electric motor (16) is connected drivingly to a second drive axle (22) and to the storage arrangement and/or the auxiliary unit. The first electric motor (16) has a rotor shaft (36) with a first end (34) drivingly connected to the second drive axle (22) by a first switching unit (18) and a second end (38) drivingly connected to a crankshaft (28) of the internal combustion engine (4) by a second switching unit (24).

An example system includes a power take-off (PTO) device that selectively couples to a driveline of a vehicle, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) compressor selectively coupled to the PTO device, and an electric machine selectively coupled to the HVAC compressor and further selectively coupled to the driveline of the vehicle through the PTO device. The example system further includes a controller configured to determine a protective start value for the HVAC compressor, and to perform, in response to the protective start value, a start-up operation for the HVAC compressor. The start-up operation includes de-coupling the electric machine and the HVAC compressor from the driveline of the vehicle, and performing a controlled start of the HVAC compressor with the electric machine.

A solar-thermal powered recreational vehicle featuring a solar-thermal air conditioning system integrated with a solar clean energy system to provide a recreational vehicle having improved energy efficiency. In an embodiment employing the principles of the present invention, the solar-thermal powered recreational vehicle can comprise a clean energy system for providing electrical power to the recreational vehicle, whereby the clean energy system features one or more solar photovoltaic panels, a batter bank, and a generator operatively coupled to a hybrid inverter. The solar-thermal air conditioning system is powered by the clean energy system, with the solar-thermal air conditioning system featuring a solar-thermal collector panel functioning to superheat compressed refrigerant prior to the compressed refrigerant being transmitted to the condenser. Because the compressor is the most energy-intensive component in the traditional direct expansion AC system, the use of free solar energy by the present invention to reduce the work load on the compressor significantly reduces the overall energy requirements of the recreational vehicle, thereby providing a recreational vehicle capable of operating on solar and battery power alone for significant periods of time.

A thermal management system for a vehicle includes a high-temperature side pump that draws and discharges a heat medium, a compressor that draws and discharges a refrigerant in a refrigeration cycle, a high-pressure side heat exchanger that exchanges heat between a high-pressure side refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle and the heat medium circulated by the high-temperature side pump, a heat medium-outside air heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the heat medium circulated by the high-temperature side pump and outside air, and a pump control unit that controls an operation of the high-temperature side pump such that the operation of the high-temperature side pump is continued even after the compressor is stopped. Thus, the cycle efficiency exhibited when restarting the compressor can be improved.

A heat pump system can be used with a vehicle. A cooling system includes a radiator connected to a cooling line and a first water pump and circulating a coolant along the cooling line so as to cool an electric component. A battery module is provided on a battery cooling line selectively connected to the cooling line through a first valve. And HVAC module includes an internal heater connected to the cooling line through a first connection line, a cooler connected to the battery cooling line through a second connection line, and an opening or closing door provided between the internal heater and the cooler and controlling external air passing through the cooler to be selectively introduced into the internal heater depending on cooling, heating, and heating and dehumidifying modes of the vehicle. A centralized energy is connected to each of the battery cooling line and the cooling line.