Automotive parts supplier Nidec AMEC (Automotive Motors & Electronic Control) showcased a model of its upcoming propane (R290) thermal management system for electric vehicles (EVs) at IAA Mobility 2025.
Nidec AMEC produces electric motors for automotive steering and brakes, belt star generators for mild hybrids and motor vehicle fluid systems, including oil pumps, water pumps and thermal management modules (TMM), Guilherme Almeida, CEO at Nidec AMEC, told NaturalRefrigerants.com during IAA 2025. The automotive industry trade show was held September 9‒14 in Munich.
TMMs package the key components of thermal management systems for EVs, including the water pumps, valves, the refrigerant compressor and heat exchangers. With a propane charge of less than 500g, AMEC’s TMM provides 8kW (2.3TR) of battery cooling capacity, 8kW of cabin cooling capacity and 8kW of cabin heating capacity. It operates in ambient temperatures from −20 to 60 °C (−4°F to 140°F)
“We are going directly with R290 because we have the compressor knowledge to make it efficient,” Almeida said. “In addition, we just acquired a Chinese company with the technology for manufacturing [R290] scroll compressors.”
Leveraging synergies: Almeida was appointed CEO of Nidec AMEC in November 2024 after having worked at Embraco and Nidec Global Appliance for 18 years and serving as the company’s President in the last 2 years. Embraco, part of Nidec Global Appliance, produces refrigeration, heating and air-conditioning products, including R290 compressors and condensing units. Both companies are owned by Nidec.
- “We are using Embraco’s knowledge to support the visualization and development of the R290 thermal management system,” Almeida said, adding that Jens Hoffmann, Global Director of R&D for Fluid Systems and Thermal Management at Nidec AMEC.
The design: The function-heavy thermal management system meets the requirements of luxury cars, Hoffmann told NaturalRefrigerants.com.
- “Four pumps in the module supply coolant to separate loops, including the battery, the inverter, the DC-DC converter and the cooling fan to reject,” Hoffman said, adding that three valves manage switching operations between the circuits.
- The heat exchangers between the coolant and refrigerant sides enable different modes of operation, including dehumidification by simultaneously supplying cooling and heating to the cabin, Hoffmann explained. The heat pump provides heat using waste heat from the drivetrain and/or the outside air.
Manufacturing outlook: In July, Nidec acquired compressor manufacturer Changzhou Xecom Energy Technologies and renamed it Nidec Scroll Technology (Changzhou).
- “Now that we can produce R290 scroll compressors, AMEC is jumping from offering a plate of components to providing an entire system,” Almeida said, adding that he expected the TMM to be ready for automakers in one to two years.
- With AMEC’s ability to adapt to customer-specific target capacities and designs, Almeida said that OEMs are in the “initial stages” of investigating the technology.
Quotable: “With the huge change to vehicle electrification, we are going directly to natural refrigerants,” Almeida said. “Propane is more efficient than synthetic R1234yf, and economically speaking it is better than CO2 [R744].”
