Electrified vehicle with dual-use storage/cooling compartment
An electrified vehicle includes a storage compartment positioned forward of a vehicle passenger cabin and accessible by opening a vehicle hood, a thermally conductive plate or heat exchanger in contact with a bottom surface of the storage compartment and having an associated conduit configured for circulating a working fluid from a vehicle cooling system, and a valve operable to control flow of the working fluid through the conduit. The storage compartment may be filled with a cooling medium, such as ice or dry ice, to provide enhanced cooling during high-demand operation or charging of the vehicle, such as when operating in a performance/track mode, towing a trailer, or in other extreme use scenarios. The valve may be controlled so that the working fluid bypasses the conduit when the storage compartment is used for cargo and/or enhanced cooling is not desired.
1. An electrified vehicle comprising:
an electric machine configured to provide torque to vehicle wheels;
an energy store coupled to the electric machine by associated power electronics;
a vehicle body defining a cargo compartment configurable to contain a cooling medium;
a heat exchanger configured to selectively exchange heat with the cooling medium contained in the cargo compartment;
a cooling system configured to circulate a working fluid to exchange heat with the heat exchanger and at least one of the electric machine, the power electronics, and the energy store;
a valve operable to selectively route the working fluid of the cooling system through the heat exchanger or to bypass the heat exchanger;
a human-machine interface (HMI) configured to activate a performance mode in response to operator input; and
a controller in communication with the valve, the controller programmed to control the valve to route the working fluid through the heat exchanger when operating in the performance mode.
2. The electrified vehicle of claim 1 wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the valve in response to receiving user input requesting enhanced cooling.
3. The electrified vehicle of claim 2 wherein the controller is further programmed to control the valve to route the working fluid through the heat exchanger in response to charging of the energy store from an external power source.
4. The electrified vehicle of claim 2 wherein the controller is further programmed to control the valve in response to temperature of at least one of the heat exchanger, the energy store, the electric machine, and the power electronics.
5. The electrified vehicle of claim 1 wherein the cargo compartment comprises a water-tight cargo compartment accessible by opening a hood of the vehicle.
6. An electrified vehicle comprising:
an electric machine configured to provide torque to vehicle wheels;
an energy store coupled to the electric machine by associated power electronics;
a vehicle body defining a cargo compartment configurable to contain a cooling medium;
a heat exchanger configured to selectively exchange heat with the cooling medium contained in the cargo compartment;
a cooling system configured to circulate a working fluid to exchange heat with the heat exchanger and at least one of the electric machine, the power electronics, and the energy store; and
a valve operable to selectively route the working fluid of the cooling system through the heat exchanger or to bypass the heat exchanger, wherein the hood of the vehicle includes an integrated lid for the cargo compartment that provides a water-tight seal for the cargo compartment when the hood is closed.
7. The electrified vehicle of claim 5 wherein the cargo compartment comprises a plurality of baffles.
8. The electrified vehicle of claim 7 wherein the plurality of baffles comprises removable baffles.
9. The electrified vehicle of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger comprises a cold plate forming a bottom surface of the cargo compartment.
10. The electrified vehicle of claim 1 wherein the energy store comprises a high-voltage traction battery.
11. A method for controlling an electrified vehicle having a cooling system configured to circulate a working fluid to cool at least one of an electric machine, a traction battery, and power electronics, the vehicle including a cargo compartment configurable to contain a cooling medium and having a heat exchanger in contact with, or within the cargo compartment, the method comprising, by a controller:
receiving input from a human-machine interface to activate a performance mode;
generating a request for increased cooling in response to activation of the performance mode; and
controlling a valve to route the working fluid through the heat exchanger to transfer heat from the working fluid to the cooling medium in response to the request for increased cooling, and controlling the valve to route the working fluid to bypass the heat exchanger otherwise.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating the request for increased cooling in response to connecting an external power source to charge the traction battery.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating the request for increased cooling in response to temperature of the working fluid exceeding a corresponding temperature threshold.