Review of heat pump integrated energy systems for future zero-emission vehicles

Climate action is essential if global warming is to be limited to 1.5 °C and, and consequently, the transportation sector aims to phase out fossil fuel vehicles, to ensure that carbon net-zero can be achieved by 2050. It is expected that batteries or hydrogen fuel cells will most likely be the main driver of future zero-emission vehicles in order to achieve the zero-emission target for transport. One of the key research challenges in fully electric vehicles is the space heating/cooling in the cabin, which consumes a huge amount of electricity through conventional methods. Moreover, batteries and fuel cells both require properly designed thermal management systems to ensure the operational function of the systems. This work aims to provide a comprehensive summary of various advanced thermal management strategies/systems for future zero-emission electric vehicles. First, the latest battery thermal management systems are described, in terms of different operating conditions. Second, novel heat pump systems designed for Electric vehicles (EV) to achieve sufficient cabin space heating/cooling production and to address existing cabin issues are discussed. Finally, the heat pump-assisted integrated thermal management system, including cabin and battery thermal management, is reviewed regarding performance and intelligent control logic. This literature review not only addresses the research gaps but also identifies potential solutions to tackle the heating/cooling of cabin space for future zero-emission vehicles.