Cold Climate Auxiliary Heat From Harvester ICE

[Last_Fun-tier]

One aspect for consideration with the Harvester range extender, is the free availability of heat generated by running the ICE.

My suggestion, especially for those like me who live in cold climates, such as Alaska, where temperatures can hover in the -15 to -40°F range for long periods on end, the ability to heat the cabin of the vehicle while using the range extender would be a huge benefit. Plus, the heat is already freely produced when using the range extender to charge the batteries.

A feature like this could reduce trepidation with purchasing an electric vehicle in cold climate locations. Thank you.

 

[dsoul79]

Additional option for the heat, warm the battery packs in colder climates for better range etc. Could this be done similar to radiant floor heating? And actually radiate the heat on up into the cab?

 

[J Alynn]

Additional option for the heat, warm the battery packs in colder climates for better range etc. Could this be done similar to radiant floor heating? And actually radiate the heat on up into the cab?

This has been tossed around before but never heard anything from SM or other EV smart people that could say if it was doable. I was a big fan of this but not sure how it works. One suggestion was if the cooling tubes get warm enough on return flow through heat pump could the return route be directly on floor bottom to do as you said.

 

[Last_Fun-tier]

This has been tossed around before but never heard anything from SM or other EV smart people that could say if it was doable. I was a big fan of this but not sure how it works. One suggestion was if the cooling tubes get warm enough on return flow through heat pump could the return route be directly on floor bottom to do as you said.

Thank for the reply. I used to have a class B motorhome that had a hot plate attached to the engine block with supply and return waterlines that served as an auxiliary water heater. After a long day of driving one could take a hot shower just from the hot water supplied by the engine. Of course there was a secondary hot water heater, but the hot plate is one example of capturing the waste heat from the engine for warming purposes.

 

[JohnT]

One aspect for consideration with the Harvester range extender, is the free availability of heat generated by running the ICE.

My suggestion, especially for those like me who live in cold climates, such as Alaska, where temperatures can hover in the -15 to -40°F range for long periods on end, the ability to heat the cabin of the vehicle while using the range extender would be a huge benefit. Plus, the heat is already freely produced when using the range extender to charge the batteries.

A feature like this could reduce trepidation with purchasing an electric vehicle in cold climate locations. Thank you.

This is my concern as well, live in Montana and worried about battery usage. I heard they lose up to 30 to 40 percent of capacity at colder temps. Thanks

 

[DaveGunter]

This would indeed be a nice feature for those of us in colder climates.

Not sure how this could be executed since Scouts are coming with a heat pump standard. Adding this feature would require some interface between the standard heat pump and a traditional heater core or an entirely separate heating loop using only a traditional heater core. Also, I’m guessing the majority of Scout customers do not live in a climate where this feature would be needed very often if at all.

 

[Last_Fun-tier]

This would indeed be a nice feature for those of us in colder climates.

Not sure how this could be executed since Scouts are coming with a heat pump standard. Adding this feature would require some interface between the standard heat pump and a traditional heater core or an entirely separate heating loop using only a traditional heater core. Also, I’m guessing the majority of Scout customers do not live in a climate where this feature would be needed very often if at all.

You’re probably right, and that the numbers might not justify it as a standard addition with a harvester package. Just thinking out loud, an Arctic option with an add on heater, core, supply and return coolant lines, and making use of the existing blower motor and ducting/vents would be really cool to see. Similar to adding a block heater from the factory for cold climate vehicles.

Or if there was a simpler way to capture heat released from the harvester engine, coupled with the heat pump plumbing would be maybe more feasible.

I’m sure there are plenty of trade-off decisions for the production model that have to be made, and this may not be worth the cost, space, or weight penalty involved.

 

[DaveGunter]

You’re probably right, and that the numbers might not justify it as a standard addition with a harvester package. Just thinking out loud, an Arctic option with an add on heater, core, supply and return coolant lines, and making use of the existing blower motor and ducting/vents would be really cool to see. Similar to adding a block heater from the factory for cold climate vehicles.

Or if there was a simpler way to capture heat released from the harvester engine, coupled with the heat pump plumbing would be maybe more feasible.

I’m sure there are plenty of trade-off decisions for the production model that have to be made, and this may not be worth the cost, space, or weight penalty involved.

Arctic package would be cool, and maybe something EV companies should consider as the use case for EVs is so different in cold weather.