Imagine an electric bus that doesn't lose its battery life just to keep passengers warm in winter. Instead of heating the whole air volume, this system uses infrared panels in seats—like a heated blanket—and smart AI to predict the best temperature. It's like switching from a giant space heater to a targeted heating pad for the whole vehicle.
Electric minibuses suffer from significantly reduced driving range in cold climates because heating consumes up to a third of the battery energy. This makes them less viable for public transport services in winter.
A TRL 7 IVECO eDaily minibus demonstrator featuring infrared seat heating, a heat pump HVAC, a digital twin for energy management, and a user-centric touch HMI.
If you are a transit operator dealing with reduced vehicle availability in winter—this project developed a thermal management system that boosts real-world range by at least 20% at 0°C. This allows for more consistent scheduling and fewer charging stops during cold snaps.
If you are a vehicle manufacturer dealing with high development costs and battery weight—this project developed a digital twin and AI control strategy that cuts development time by 30% and reduces vehicle costs by 5%.
If you are a supplier dealing with inefficient cooling energy consumption—this project developed a heat pump HVAC unit with an oil-free e-compressor that reduces cooling energy requirements by 15%.
Based on available project data, the project demonstrates a cost reduction of 5% at the vehicle level due to simplified system installation and reduced battery requirements.
The project targets a TRL 7 demonstrator for the minibus and TRL 6 for the HVAC unit. The goal is for these technologies to equip 75% of the IVECO bus fleet by 2035.
Based on available project data, the project delivers ten 'Technology Bricks,' including AI-based algorithms for driving behavior and a novel user-centric HMI, which are exploitable in the medium/heavy commercial electric vehicle market.
The use of a digital twin model and AI is expected to reduce development time by 30%.
Integration includes infrared heating panels in 22 passenger seats, a heat pump HVAC system, and a touch-display HMI for drivers and passengers.
The consortium is heavily industry-driven with a 64% industry ratio (7 out of 11 partners), including 2 SMEs. This strong commercial presence, led by AIT and involving IVECO, suggests a high probability of market adoption and a focus on practical, manufacturable solutions rather than pure academic research.
Contact AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH for technical specifications on the TRL 7 demonstrator.
Contact SciTransfer to connect with the MINDED consortium for licensing the AI-based thermal management bricks.
