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In order to provide efficient thermal management for an electric vehicle, the development of the cooling and conditioning system has to start early on in the overall product development cycle. This means that the first simulation models have to make do with relatively few actual data, mostly based on concepts and design studies. Accordingly the possible results are mainly useable for early on feasibility assessments. With more data and more details available, these simulation models gradually evolve, until in the end the overall cooling system is modeled with a relatively high level of detail. This allows e.g. transient analysis of warm-up or cool-down runs, simulation of driving cycles, implementation and optimization of control strategies. Although this basic workflow is true both for ICE and electric vehicles, for the latter specific topics like battery thermal management and HVAC integration add to the overall complexity.

A new hybrid system has been developed to increase the permissible system weight and raise dynamic performance/system efficiency for the global rollout of Honda's electric vehicles. The powertrain consists of a 2.0L direct injection engine, a Front Drive Unit (FDU) with a built-in traction motor/generator and gear that directly transmit engine torque to the wheels (engine driving gear), a Power Control Unit (PCU) mounted on the FDU, and an Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) mounted under the cargo area. The FDU has a higher RPM (+12%) and higher torque (+6%) traction motor for enhanced launch acceleration performance and maximum vehicle speed settings tailored to regional needs. In addition, a new engine driving gear for low-speed driving has been added to heighten system efficiency by avoiding traction motor driving in low-speed, high-load areas where electrical losses are high, and instead using a driving mode with an engine driving gear (ENGINE MODE).