Motor vehicle cooling system and control for cooling a traction battery

A method for operating a motor vehicle having a traction battery and a cooling system for cooling the traction battery, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a vehicle controller, trip data associated with a planned route having a battery load demand exceeding a load threshold and operating parameters of the traction battery;
• evaluating the trip data and the operating parameters to determine a set of data representative of a forecast temperature profile of the traction battery;
• evaluating the set of data for the forecast temperature profile of the traction battery temperature to determine a phase of cooling demand output exceeding an associated threshold while completing the planned route;
• and
• buffer-storing thermal energy by controlling the cooling system while traveling the planned route by utilizing heat storage capacity of the traction battery before the phase of cooling output demand exceeding the threshold for providing required battery power when the battery load demand exceeds the load threshold.

A vehicle comprising:

• a traction battery configured to propel the vehicle;
• a cooling system configured to cool the traction battery;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive trip data representative of a planned route for the vehicle;
• generate a forecast temperature profile of the traction battery having estimated battery temperature as a function of the planned route based on the trip data and battery operating parameters;
• and
• in response to the estimated battery temperature exceeding an associated temperature threshold for at least one point on the planned route, determine a cooling point along the planned route prior to the at least one point, and control the cooling system to increase cooling of the battery beginning at the cooling point to maintain actual battery temperature below the estimated battery temperature for the at least one point on the planned route, wherein the controller is configured to determine the cooling point using at least a weight of the vehicle.