German manufacturer Konvekta showcased CO₂-Qube, its CO2 (R744)-based thermal management system for electric heavy equipment, including agriculture and construction vehicles, at Agritechnica 2025.
CO₂-Qube incorporates the company’s CO2 heat pump technology in electric buses and rail vehicles, with prototypes undergoing performance testing, according to Konvekta. It expects the final product to offer 8kW (2.3TR) of cooling capacity and 8.5kW (2.4TR) of heating.
“In response to growing environmental awareness and the resulting regulatory changes – particularly the ban on per– and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other chemical refrigerants – ‘CO₂–Qube’ comes into focus as a forward–looking study in the field of air conditioning and heating for electrically powered mobile work machines,” Konvekta said.
Agritechnica 2025, considered the world’s largest trade fair for agricultural technology, was held November 9–15 in Hanover, Germany. It featured 2,849 exhibitors from 52 countries and attracted 476,000 visitors from 171 countries.
The setup: The system manages the entire thermal load of electric work machines by extracting energy from both ambient air and system components, including the drive train and the battery.
- The system, available in 400 or 600V AC with 24V DC, preheats and cools the battery, cools the power electronics and provides heating and cooling for the cabin.
- Konvekta envisions two final design options: a compact version optimizing service for minimized downtime and a modular one for maximum flexibility.
- With plug-and-play installation, the heat pump system mounts on the rooftop or the chassis, according to the manufacturer.
The backbone: CO₂-Qube operates with an electric AC compressor newly developed by German automotive component specialist Thyssenkrupp Automotive.
- “The e–AC Compressor delivers energy efficiency and reliability even under demanding off–road conditions,” Thyssenkrupp said. “By driving innovation in thermal management, [we] contribute to more sustainable mobility solutions – helping agricultural machinery become cleaner, smarter, and more efficient for the challenges ahead.”
Previous accolades: Konvekta won Busworld Europe 2023’s Innovation award for its CO2 heat pump thermal management system for electric double-decker buses.
- The system delivers both air-conditioning and heating while consuming only a fraction of the energy required by traditional MAC systems or electric heaters, which Konvekta called “a milestone in the development of sustainable technologies in the public transport sector.”
- In 2023 the Konvekta improved its CO2 heat pump technology for e-buses with a “refrigerant charge balancing” system that it said improves the range by increasing the efficiency of heating and cooling.
Quotable: “CO₂–Qube impresses with its PFAS–free CO2 heat pump technology,” Konvekta said. “[It] shows what sustainable thermal management in agricultural and commercial vehicles can look like.”
“[CO₂–Qube] shows what sustainable thermal management in agricultural and commercial vehicles can look like.”
Konvekta
