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Tesla patents EV system that uses compressor waste heat for cabin and battery warmth

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

This patent describes a thermal management system for electric vehicles that captures heat generated by the air conditioning compressor. Instead of letting that heat escape, the system directs it to warm the cabin or the battery pack. It also includes specific operating modes to manage fluid levels and monitor the health of the temperature sensor.

Why it mattersIt could help electric vehicles stay warmer in cold weather without draining the main battery, improving efficiency and comfort for drivers.

In the filing’s own words

The present disclosure relates to a thermal management system for electric vehicles including a compressor, the compressor comprising a compressor motor and an inverter. The system collects and distributes heat generated by the compressor to various applications, such as cabin heating, battery heating, or cooling. The compressor can be controlled to operate in multiple modes, including waste heat mode, TIM health detection mode, liquid reduction mode, and liquid pump-out mode. Heat generation is achieved through methods such as commanding increased current, modifying inverter switching frequency, and injecting high frequency current. A controller regulates system operations based on input data.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A vehicle thermal management system, comprising: an inverter; a compressor in communication with the inverter, the compressor comprising: a compressor inlet configured to receive fluid; a compressor outlet configured to output the fluid; and a motor configured to cause the fluid to be compressed; and a controller in communication with the inverter and the compressor, the controller configured to: receive input data, wherein the input data comprises a temperature or a pressure associated with the compressor; and cause the compressor to operate in a mode, based at least in part on the input data, in which at least a portion of electrical energy provided to the compressor is used for generating heat.

Facts

Company
Tesla (Tesla, Inc.)
Official title
ELECTRIC VEHICLE COMPRESSOR WASTE HEAT APPLICATIONS
Publication number
US20260307463A1
Application number
19171049
Filed
Apr 4, 2025
Published
Oct 8, 2026
Inventors
6
Claims
20

Classified under

B60H 1/3213 Operations & transportB60H 1/00278 Operations & transportB60H 1/3223 Operations & transportB60H 1/32284 Operations & transportB60H 2001/224 Operations & transportB60H 2001/2246 Operations & transport
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.