Aftermarket July/August 2022 Issue

MONTH 2017 AFTERMARKET 3 www.aftermarketonline.net the manufacturers’ recommendations as this will allow corrosion to build up in the system. This, as well as more common engine cooling issues, can clog the fine inner core of the heater matrix or cause internal corrosion and that means no heat, or worse, a leak into the vehicles footwell. It’s another reason to explain to a customer why maintaining their cooling system is more than just anti-freeze. If the heater isn’t heating, the causes could be a number of things. A failed blower motor, faulty thermostat or water pump or defective control motors. However, smart maintenance of the cooling system can go some way to preventing such heating issues. While the technology has been around for years, manufacturers are always looking for ways to improve. Heated seats and steering wheels, once reserved for luxury vehicles, are becoming standard in most models. In addition, research shows if a driver’s hands and body are warm then they will use the main cabin heater less. This is especially useful in electric vehicles where the heating system is run electronically and takes range from the vehicles battery. Similarly, ensuring an ICE vehicle gets up to operating temperature as quickly as possible, helps to limit wear and tear and reduces emissions.” Blowing cold We are living in a time of change, with the automotive aftermarket going through one of the most transformational periods seen in recent times. Driving this change, in particular, is the surge in the electric vehicle (EV) market. While the motor industry is not unfamiliar with change, we work amongst the most advanced technologies in any industry, the move to automotive electrification is accelerating rapidly. It’s a fast-paced change that is raising many questions and posing many challenges in the industry as people learn about and adapt to this new technology. One regular question asked by customers, is why are we using coolant in an electric vehicle?’ Similarly, I often get asked ‘If my car has no engine, why does it need ‘anti-freeze?’. They are good questions that require detailed responses. So, why? A battery electric vehicle (BEV) does not have an engine that needs cooling in the traditional sense of an internal combustion engine (ICE). However, it does have a large battery or multiple batteries to power the motor. In an electric vehicle, the process of charging and discharging a battery creates heat. The faster you charge or discharge a battery, the more heat is generated. A battery via its design can only really operate efficiently within a certain temperature range. Outside of this range it will simply fail to perform as designed. At best it will stop operating, at its worst fire or an explosion could occur. Over time a battery running too hot internally will become damaged leading to different discharge rates in the cells and a gradual deterioration in performance. This can lead to a lower range in mileage when charged or rapid decrease in range when driving or no drive at all. Thermal Management has featured in every vehicle ever produced and both air cooling and liquid cooling have been around since the engine was first produced. Air cooling can be found in the form of fins (passive cooling) on ECU’s or parts where the heat needs to be dissipated quickly. However, the temperatures are low or fans (forced cooling) where temperatures might be higher and convection is forced to transfer the heat to the surrounding air. Air cooling can be utilised in a BEV but the energy requirement to get to the desired speed where the air would cool the battery to its optimum range, along with the added weight, is not practical. As a result, the industry at present has adopted the Liquid Cooling method for maintaining battery temperatures. Liquid cooling offers batteries everything they need to operate efficiently, the ability to transfer heat away quickly, compact design and low weight. The system used in modern EVs is referred to as indirect cooling. Here coolant is circulated through pipes, assisted by a pump, and requires a high heat capacity additive removing the heat in a very similar way to the current ICE cooling system. Research in this area is ongoing with many manufacturers looking at a direct cooling (immersion cooling) method. This is where the battery is submerged in a low conductivity coolant to maintain a constant optimum temperature, although it’s still in the R&D phase of development. So, that is why we still use coolant in an EV. Advances in battery technology are ever- changing with a number of manufacturers producing more powerful, longer lasting and efficient units on a regular basis. It’s an exciting time, but as technology continues to change the way our market does business, we need to keep up to date. As more and more customers adopt and trust the technology, the more the market will change and businesses will also need to adapt to it. It’s an exciting time, but as technology continues to change the way our market does business, we need to keep up to date ” JULY/AUGUST 20 2 AFTERMARKET 19 Follow us on facebook: facebook.com/ aftermarketmagazine