Plug-in electric vehicle and method for heating a passenger cabin

A vehicle comprising:

• an electric machine configured to drive vehicle wheels;
• a traction battery coupled to the electric machine;
• a power electronics unit connected to the electric machine and the traction battery;
• an electric charger configured to provide power from an external power source to charge the traction battery;
• a cooling system having a liquid coolant and configured to circulate the liquid coolant to heat or cool at least the traction battery and the electric machine;
• at least one electric heating element;
• a heat exchanger configured to selectively transfer heat from the liquid coolant to a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
• and
• a controller configured to control the at least one electric heating element while the electric charger is connected to the external power source to heat at least one of the electric machine, and the traction battery to a predetermined temperature above external ambient temperature, to calculate a required duration for heating of the at least one of the electric machine and the traction battery to the predetermined temperature and automatically start the electric heater at a time based on a pre-selected time for completion and on the calculated required duration, and to power-off the at least one electric heating element during operation of the vehicle and transfer thermal energy from the liquid coolant to heat the passenger compartment.

A hybrid vehicle comprising:

• an electric machine configured to drive vehicle wheels;
• a traction battery coupled to the electric machine;
• an internal combustion engine;
• a power electronics unit connected to the electric machine and the traction battery;
• an electric charger configured to provide power from an external power source to charge the traction battery;
• a cooling system having a liquid coolant and configured to circulate the liquid coolant to heat or cool at least the traction battery and the electric machine;
• at least one electric heating element;
• a heat exchanger configured to selectively transfer heat from the liquid coolant to a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
• and
• a controller configured to control the at least one electric heating element while the electric charger is connected to the external power source to heat at least one of the electric machine, the traction battery, and the internal combustion engine to a predetermined temperature above external ambient temperature, to calculate a required duration for heating of the at least one of the electric machine, the traction battery, and the internal combustion engine to the predetermined temperature and automatically start the electric heater at a time based on a pre-selected time for completion and on the calculated required duration, and to power-off the at least one electric heating element during operation of the vehicle and transfer thermal energy from the liquid coolant to heat the passenger compartment.