Mahle sells €1.4 Bn worth of EV compressors
The German automotive supplier Mahle has secured numerous series orders for its compressors for the electric passenger car and commercial vehicle sectors. The company’s electric air-conditioning compressor for thermal management in electric vehicles has garnered a total order volume of around 1.4 billion euros.
Mahle says that its recently-launched electric compressor is the most powerful e-compressor currently available, with a peak output of 18 kW. The compressor from the German supplier is used for temperature control of the electric-drive unit to improve the service life, charging speed and range of the battery.
Mahle currently offers its high-voltage compressor in voltage ranges up to 900 volts (400-volt vehicles are also supported) and displacements up to 57 cm3. Thanks to its compact design, it can be used in all vehicle classes from passenger cars to heavy commercial vehicles. The small installation space requirement is made possible by a patented refrigerant cooling system for the compressor motor and electronics.
The German supplier explains in a statement that the greatest challenges in the development were not the usual hurdles of managing the voltage level or the cooling capacity but the interior acoustics. In a petrol or diesel engine, vibrations and noises from auxiliary units such as an air-conditioning compressor are usually masked. Mahle explains that in an electric car, vehicle occupants find the smallest vibrations and the slightest noise development disturbing and that the compressor should run very quietly with “the best acoustics”.
As is customary in the supplier industry, Mahle has not disclosed exactly from whom the orders are coming and what quantities have been secured by which customer. Mahle is based in the German city of Stuttgart and is already known for its pistons for combustion engines. The company wants to use its acquired expertise in thermodynamics to also gain market share in the component business for electric cars. “Mahle wants to further expand its role as a total system provider for air conditioning in e-vehicles,” says CEO Arnd Franz.
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