Webasto expands its high-voltage heater product family

Webasto gives a preview of its growing range of high-voltage heaters for hybrid and electric vehicles. With the Next Generation Coolant Heater, Webasto is presenting a platform-based electric heating system for the first time, but the proven HV heater HVH 100 is also getting new offshoots. (UPDATE BELOW)

The Next Generation Coolant Heater is visually quite different from Webasto’s previous high-voltage heaters. It is smaller, lighter and more sustainable, according to the Munich-based company. In addition, it is based on one platform, which means it can be flexibly adapted to different customer requirements. The heating technology is also different, according to Webasto: “It is based on innovative heating technology that is integrated into an installation-space-optimized heat exchanger and is suitable for both 400- and 800-volt vehicle architectures.” According to the manufacturer, the heating capacity is scalable from three to six to nine kilowatts. Following the logic of the product names, the new high-voltage heater will therefore be called Webasto HVH 90 Next Generation Coolant Heater (for up to 9 kW, the HVH 100 delivers 10 kW).

According to Webasto, the first major European order for the Next Generation Coolant Heater has already been won. However, the Munich-based supplier is not disclosing details; it only emphasises that the new product “facilitates a flexible interface with the customer’s vehicle architecture, irrespective of voltage and heat output.” According to the Munich-based company, the first vehicles with the new HVH will be on the road in two years.

“The concept is our answer to wide-ranging customer requirements and allows us to scale along demand,” expresses Marcel Bartling, Chief Technology Officer of Webasto SE. “The new platform gives our customers a flexible interface. By taking a modular approach we are able to achieve a high level of production automation, offering excellent flexibility in terms of the higher volumes we can manufacture.”

Webasto describes the improvements in weight and material use as follows: “The aluminum content of the Next Generation Coolant Heater is reduced by almost 50 per cent compared to the actual 10 kilowatt variant, ensuring a weight reduction of 30 percent,” says Bartling. “Webasto is taking an important step towards sustainability with this new concept.”

The heating systems for hybrid and electric vehicles temper both the vehicle cabin and the batteries. With the HVH 100, Webasto has already been producing an 800-volt coolant heater with 10 kW heating capacity in series since 2019. Webasto is now presenting two offshoots at the IAA Mobility: the HVH 100 Compact, which also has a heating capacity of 10 kW, but is smaller in size and weight. This should be available from 2024. And the HVH 120 with 12 kW heating power especially for commercial vehicles. This high-voltage heater is also to be added to the Webasto portfolio from 2024.

Update 29 February 2024

Webasto now offers three new electric high-voltage heaters (HVH) with 10 to 12 kilowatts of heating power for electric cars, trucks, buses, construction machinery and special vehicles. Specifically, these include the ‘HVH 100 Compact’, ‘HVH 100 Compact+’ and ‘HVH 120’ heaters announced last year, which convert electrical direct current into heat with more than 95 per cent efficiency. According to Webasto, all three devices are no larger than a sheet of A4 paper. If the heat requirement for passenger or cargo compartments is greater, several HVHs can be combined.

webasto-group.com, webasto.com (update)