[SeattleCat]

Seems this is growing as an issue so thought I would pull it out into its own thread. I realize I have also made some assumptions about how the heat pump works so as my Volvo has not yet arrived and has a heat pump I thought I would seek clarity and answers before it is here.

Assumptions and questions.
1. I assumed that the AC/Heating system on all XC40 P8 were the same and that the Heat pump is an additional unit that can increase the efficiency of the system by starting it off with recycled air which is either cooler (when cooling is required or warmer when warming) and that this system helps decrease the energy the default AC/Heating system uses in keeping its humans comfy and its batteries and other car systems at their correct operating systems.
2. If the assumption in 2 is not correct does anyone know how this system actually works or can point to articles showing how it actually works.
3. I assumed that the ac Failures were due to miss comunication between the AC/Heating and the heat pump perhaps some how telling the ac unit to stand down.
4. If we have a XC40 P8 with a heat pump how do we prove we have a heat pump. Is there a cool info panel showing it’s working effect or at least a system check box saying heat pump installed.
5. Has anyone seen any actual data on the energy savings of the heat pump? Volvo had a pretty infomercial saying how it saves energy but I have yet to see any data on the power savings. I got it honestly to be as green as I could be with the car and of course to try and eek out as much range as possible And because I like the thought of efficiency.

Please add questions and information to the thread.

 

[SeattleCat]

I found this article.

Can heat pumps solve cold-weather range loss for EVs?

Heat pumps and integrated thermal systems could help make up for some (but not all) of the winter range loss in electric vehicles.

www.greencarreports.com

Sounds like heat pumps really are a good idea.
Still a little irritated at the lack of a best case scenario on the changes they make but ...

 

[Marsh mello]

I just found this article re heat pumps and Tesla. My dealer in Las Vegas is equally uninformed as to the purpose of a heat pump, size, weight, and location. He was advised by Volvo to include a heat pump in all his future orders as it is necessary for extreme heat climates as well as extreme cold. I just don’t want to be charged extra for it if it’s considered essential.

 

[goatsweater]

My understanding is that heat pumps offer significant benefits vs things like compressors and conductive heating. Their weakness, if you want to call it that, is that they operate within a given temperature range. They still offer benefits in efficiency, but at a certain point they just can’t keep up and the vehicle will need to switch to the non-heat pump source so you’d see what seems like a massive drop in efficiency.

That said, how often do you use the vehicle outside the optimal range of the heat pump? I feel like people generally like to live in the places where heat pumps make a lot of sense.

 

[SeattleCat]

I am assuming that the 350$ heat pump is extra to the normal heat/cool system. In other words it should never be worse in both effect ( amount of cooling) or effeciency. But hey assuming is a great sin

 

[goatsweater]

I am assuming that the 350$ heat pump is extra to the normal heat/cool system. In other words it should never be worse in both effect ( amount of cooling) or effeciency. But hey assuming is a great sin

It must be. The two work together to give optimal performance would be my expectation.

 

[Homer]

Heat pumps work with the internal electrical resistance used to heat the cabin. The heat pump works better for the long drive once the cabin has been warmed up. This is why preconditioning the cabin heat while plugged in will significantly add to the range on a cold day.

Once moving, the heat pump transfers heat using much less electricity.. Bosch states that at 14 degrees, there is a 25% increase in driving range. Visteon claims a 30% increase in range. Remember, EPA estimates are done at room temperature without any heating.

 

[Welland canada recharge]

Heat pumps work with the internal electrical resistance used to heat the cabin. The heat pump works better for the long drive once the cabin has been warmed up. This is why preconditioning the cabin heat while plugged in will significantly add to the range on a cold day.

Once moving, the heat pump transfers heat using much less electricity.. Bosch states that at 14 degrees, there is a 25% increase in driving range. Visteon claims a 30% increase in range. Remember, EPA estimates are done at room temperature without any heating.

If a person did not order a heat pump from the factory at time of order - I wonder if it is an item that can be added by the dealer after the fact? Maybe the cost of install would be too much. Any thoughts if this would be possible?

 

[Homer]

A quick search found the following opinion from another electric vehicle posting.

"Retrofit likely can't be done. It would require a full HVAC cabin unit replacement, HV wiring removal, different control units, different compressor and refrigerant system."

It is not a simple additional plug and play part.

 

[SeattleCat]

Welland did you get your car yet? If not could re order with a heat pump? I read somewhere though that Canadian buyers are not given the option of a heat pump. Is this true?

 

[Welland canada recharge]

Welland did you get your car yet? If not could re order with a heat pump? I read somewhere though that Canadian buyers are not given the option of a heat pump. Is this true?

Yes Three weeks ago - and that is true Volvo Canada did not have the Heat pump as an option for the Canadian Market to order due to the initial issues with that option.

 

[JT Rock]

Can anyone who has a heat pump in their XC40 share something about the following:

• Can you hear the heat pump cycling (is there any noise noticeable from inside the cabin)?
• Is there a delay when calling for heat? Is the wait time similar to an ICE vehicle waiting for the engine to warm up before noticing heat?

 

[SeattleCat]

Ac and heat work the same as in a non heat pump car. I do not notice any extra sounds when it is on but I would need to record a non heat pump Volvo and then mine to say for sure.

 

[JT Rock]

I do not notice any extra sounds

Thanks. I'm just OCD when it comes to that kind of stuff. Since an EV is very quite, for example while stopped at a red light, any noise or vibration will likely stand out compared to an ICE vehicle. I think the blower fan noise will be reasonable, but noises like my refrigerator drive me nuts (similar type of tech as a heat pump), since they hum which clashes with music.

 

[SeattleCat]

The car constantly hums. It is similar to the hum that would send me insane in my av room and one which I am careful to avoid in the family computer area ( hunting down which of the 6 computers has a new bleeding hum is a thing ) but the hum in the car feels more alive. I tend to think of it as a quieter cyclon hum the heart of the car beating in a throbby hummy way.

Today i am driving the ice version of the xc40 as my P8 is In the shop to replace the broken in window. The ice car feels so … meh compared to the P8. The ac(cooling) is weaker. The acceleration is pitiful compared and all in all it just feels. MEH. And yet it is basically the same car so odd. Reminds me of an article stating research has shown that food tastes better with a nice knife and fork vs plastic due to the brains perception changing.

Test drive a P8 see if you like or hate the thrum. Remember this is not a static car it’s a dynamic robot that accepts our inputs

 

[Rosso Red]

I see there have been no entries in 8 months. I have a 2021 XC40 recharge with the heat pump. Is there any new information on the heat pump? I have no idea if mine is working or how to turn it on or off. We are at the time of year where we are near zero (F) in the morning with colder weather likely over the winter. The car is kept in a garage, at 55 (F), but after work it has been sitting for 8 hours and not on a charger. Any updated info appreciated or LINKS to pertinent articles. Thanks.

 

[BainbridgeIsland]

I have a 2021 XC40 recharge with the heat pump. Is there any new information on the heat pump? I have no idea if mine is working or how to turn it on or off.

The heat pump IS the heating system on cars equipped with it. So if your cabin heat is working - the heat pump is working. There's nothing to explicitly turn on/off.

 

[SeattleCat]

The heat pump IS the heating system on cars equipped with it. So if your cabin heat is working - the heat pump is working. There's nothing to explicitly turn on/off.

Is that definitively true?

I thought the heat pump helped move heat around in the winter. Taking excess heat from the motors and using it to warm batteries and people but when there is not enough heat to move from a to b electrostatic is used to add to this.

So if the heat pump was dead would the electrostatic not just take over the same way that it does when you first get in to the icey car and we stick the heater on. At that point there is not extra heat to move to warm person or battery.

What am I missing?

 

[BainbridgeIsland]

I would imagine there are still some resistive heating elements in the car, perhaps to warm the battery. Or maybe as supplemental cabin heat when it's extremely cold - say -25°F, where the heat pump would have to work too hard to efficiently extract any heat from the air.

But the heat pump - if so equipped - is supposed to be the primary heat source for cabin interior, defroster, etc.

 

[Rosso Red]

I was told the heat pump warmed or cooled the battery. This could also be part of pre-conditioning using remote starter or whatever you call it as there is nothing to start, motor wise. I can't find anything in the manual. I called Volvo support (USA) one day and they had no idea. I must have got Psaki's brother who said he would circle back, and like Jen - nothing! I must say the in car manual is not handy in the least. Other than that the car has been great (well mileage not so good) but the car is a ball to drive. I really enjoy the quiet; it's like a sailplane. Fun, fun, fun til the battery takes it away.