OPTEMUS · Project

Extend Electric Vehicle Range Up to 70% in Extreme Weather Conditions

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Ever noticed your phone battery drains faster when it's freezing or boiling outside? Electric cars have the exact same problem — heating or cooling the cabin eats into driving range, sometimes dramatically. OPTEMUS tackled this by building smarter thermal management, energy-harvesting shock absorbers, and solar panels into a real Fiat 500e. The result: up to 70% more range in winter and 38% more in summer heat, without needing a bigger battery.

By the numbers

32%

Energy consumption reduction for component cooling

60%

Energy consumption reduction for passenger comfort

15%

Additional energy available for traction

44 km

Additional driving range in hot ambient (+35°C)

38%

Range increase in hot conditions

63 km

Additional driving range in cold ambient (-10°C)

70%

Range increase in cold conditions

Consortium partners

Countries represented

Industrial partners in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Electric vehicles lose significant driving range in extreme temperatures because heating and cooling the cabin drains the battery. This is one of the biggest barriers to mass EV adoption — customers in cold or hot climates face unpredictable range anxiety that no amount of marketing can fix. Automakers need practical, cost-effective solutions that extend range without requiring larger (heavier, more expensive) batteries.

The solution

What was built

The project built a working passenger car demonstrator on a Fiat 500e platform, integrating compact thermal management (refrigeration + HVAC), insulated battery housing, regenerative shock absorbers, vehicle-integrated solar panels, smart conditioning seats, and intelligent eco-driving software. Virtual prototyping tools (VP-System) were also delivered for design exploration and 3D immersive demonstration.

Audience

Who needs this

EV manufacturers looking to improve winter/summer range without bigger batteriesTier-1 automotive suppliers developing next-generation thermal management systemsElectric fleet operators losing productivity to weather-related range dropsAutomotive suspension manufacturers seeking energy harvesting product linesHVAC and climate control companies entering the automotive EV market

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive OEMs & Tier-1 Suppliers

enterprise

Target: Electric vehicle manufacturers and thermal management component suppliers

If you are an EV manufacturer struggling with customer complaints about winter range loss — this project developed an integrated thermal management system with compact HVAC unit, battery housing insulation, and predictive cabin preconditioning that demonstrated 60% energy reduction for passenger comfort and 32% reduction for component cooling on a Fiat 500e. These are plug-in improvements to existing EV platforms, not full redesigns.

Fleet Management & Mobility Services

mid-size

Target: Electric fleet operators, car-sharing platforms, last-mile delivery companies

If you are a fleet operator whose electric vans and cars lose range in extreme weather, forcing costly schedule changes — this project demonstrated an additional 63 km of range in cold conditions (-10°C) and 44 km in hot conditions (+35°C). Eco-driving and eco-routing strategies developed in OPTEMUS can be integrated into fleet management software to optimize energy use across your vehicles.

Automotive Components & Energy Harvesting

any

Target: Suspension system manufacturers, automotive electronics suppliers

If you are a component manufacturer looking for new product lines in the EV space — this project developed regenerative shock absorbers that harvest energy from road vibrations and vehicle-integrated PV panels. Both were prototyped and tested on a real vehicle with 22 consortium partners including 14 industrial companies. These are licensable technologies ready for productization.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to integrate these technologies into our vehicles?

The project data does not include per-unit cost figures. However, the technologies were specifically designed considering space, cost, and complexity requirements for mass-market A-segment vehicles (tested on Fiat 500e). Contact the coordinator for detailed cost breakdowns and licensing terms.

Can this scale to full production lines?

The technologies were demonstrated on a production vehicle platform (Fiat 500e), not just in a lab. With 14 industrial partners in the consortium — including automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers — the path from demonstrator to production integration was a core design goal. The compact form factors were specifically developed for series production feasibility.

What is the IP situation and can we license these technologies?

The consortium of 22 partners across 7 countries developed multiple distinct technologies (thermal management, regenerative shock absorbers, PV integration, smart conditioning). IP is likely shared among consortium members. The coordinator, Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH, is the primary contact for licensing discussions.

How do the range improvements hold up in real driving conditions?

The project demonstrated at least 44 km (38%) additional range in hot conditions (+35°C, 40% relative humidity) and 63 km (70%) in cold conditions (-10°C, 90% relative humidity). These figures come from combined virtual and real-life testing on the Fiat 500e demonstrator vehicle.

Which specific technologies can be adopted independently?

OPTEMUS developed separable technology modules: compact refrigeration and HVAC units, battery housing with thermal insulation, regenerative shock absorbers, vehicle-integrated PV panels, smart seat with thermoelectric devices, smart cover panels, and eco-driving/eco-routing software. Each can potentially be adopted as a standalone improvement.

What is the timeline from licensing to market deployment?

The project ended in August 2019 with a working demonstrator vehicle. Based on available project data, core technologies reached demonstration level on a real car. Depending on the specific technology module, integration into a production vehicle program could take 2-4 years of further development and validation.

Consortium

Who built it

The OPTEMUS consortium is heavily industry-weighted at 64% (14 of 22 partners), which is a strong signal that commercial viability was a priority from the start. The 22-partner team spans 7 countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, UK), covering the major European automotive manufacturing hubs. The coordinator, Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH from Austria, is classified as an SME and a research center — well-positioned to bridge academic R&D and industrial application. With 4 universities and 4 research organizations providing the science base, and 14 industrial players ensuring real-world applicability, this is a consortium built for technology transfer, not just publication.

VIRTUAL VEHICLE RESEARCH GMBHCoordinator · AT
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI SALERNOparticipant · IT
CONTI TEMIC MICROELECTRONIC GMBHthirdparty · DE
CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT SCPAparticipant · IT
RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE AACHENparticipant · DE
MONDRAGON GOI ESKOLA POLITEKNIKOA JOSE MARIA ARIZMENDIARRIETA S COOPparticipant · ES
KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES FRANCE S.A.S.participant · FR
ESI GERMANY GMBHparticipant · DE
VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBHparticipant · DE
SCUOLA SUPERIORE DI STUDI UNIVERSITARI E DI PERFEZIONAMENTO S ANNAparticipant · IT
CONTINENTAL TEVES AG & CO OHGthirdparty · DE
DENSO THERMAL SYSTEMS SPAparticipant · IT
STELLANTIS EUROPE SPAthirdparty · IT
MARELLI SUSPENSION SYSTEMS ITALY SPAparticipant · IT
CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBHparticipant · DE
ENGINEERING SYSTEM INTERNATIONALthirdparty · FR
IFP Energies nouvellesparticipant · FR
ESI EASTERN EUROPE SROthirdparty · CZ
BAX INNOVATION CONSULTING SLparticipant · ES
DENSO AUTOMOTIVE DEUTSCHLAND GMBHparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH (Austria) — use Google AI Search or the project website to find coordinator contact details

Order a report on this consortium See VIRTUAL VEHICLE RESEARCH GMBH profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

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