Auto industry supplier and BorgWarner subsidiary Beru, in cooperation with BMW, has developed special high-power ceramic registers with electronic control for electric vehicle interior heaters.
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Around 500 Mini E models have this new generation of electric cabin heaters. They are currently being used as rental vehicles in a pilot project in the USA, Great Britain, Germany and other countries.
The new high-voltage cabin heaters replace the conventional water heat exchanger used in petrol and diesel fuelled models as well as the conventional PTC auxiliary heater in the air conditioning system of the BMW-made electric runabout and are powered by the 400V electrical system.
They have a heat output of 3,000 watts and weigh about 1.8 kilograms. In comparison: a Beru cabin heater for internal combustion engines weighs about 0.8kg and achieves a heat output of 500 to 2,000 watts depending on the product line.
“The high-voltage connection, the required new testing and measuring equipment, as well as the new components presented designers with a particular challenge which we were able to meet to the satisfaction of our customer”, said Beru spokesman Jürgen Kochems.
“To achieve this, our joint venture partner, Beru Eichenauer in Kandel, used new pellets while Beru Electronics in Bretten developed the matching electronics. The high-voltage cabin heaters were produced in Kandel and at the Beru site in Bretten.
The heaters were developd in under nine months and are also suitable for hybrid vehicles with various electrical system voltages.
