BorgWarner has completed the takeover of BERU-Eichenauer by acquiring the shares of its former joint venture partner, Eichenauer Heizelemente .
The 50/50 joint venture was formed in 2000 to develop and manufacture electric cabin heaters in Kandel, Germany. The company said the the acquisition was in anticipation of market growth.
“Trends in electrification and down-sized internal combustion engines are expected to continue to drive demand for electric cabin heaters,” said the unit’s president and general manager, Thomas Waldhier.
BorgWarner said today’s powertrains run cooler temperatures and engines frequently do not provide enough heat to warm the cabin adequately or defrost the windscreen during colder weather.
The BERU systems are installed as heating elements behind the coolant fluid heat exchanger.
These high-power systems are currently used in BMW Mini E vehicles on test in the US, UK and Germany.
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