Electric compressor for use in a motor vehicle having a housing with an inner circumferential recess closed by a control unit to form a cooling duct

An electric compressor for compressing a gas and configured for use in a motor vehicle, the electric compressor comprising:

• a housing extending about and along an axis and defining an interior compartment and terminating axially at an open end;
• the open end having an inner circumference defining a recess extending radially into the inner circumference and annularly along the inner circumference;
• a compressor wheel disposed in the interior compartment and rotatable about the axis;
• an electric motor disposed in the interior compartment and configured to drive the compressor wheel;
• a control unit configured to control the electric motor and axially closing the open end of the housing and positioned axially over the recess and axially closing the open end and defining a continuous radial inner surface of a cooling duct formed by the recess radially between the control unit and the housing, wherein the cooling duct is sealed from the interior of the housing;
• at least one seal element positioned radially between the control unit and the inner circumference of the housing axially outside of the recess.