HVAC system for electric vehicle with driving range extension

A heating and cooling system for an electric vehicle having batteries chargeable during a stationary charging period, the system comprising:

• an exterior heat exchanger capable of acting as an evaporator to draw heat from ambient air in a standard heating mode and as a condenser to dump heat to the ambient air in a standard cooling mode, and
• a cabin heat exchanger capable of acting as a condenser to dump heat to cabin air in the standard heating mode and as an evaporator to draw heat from the cabin air in the standard cooling mode,
• a duct arrangement adapted to selectively establish or shut off a temporary thermal exchange between the cabin heat exchanger and the ambient air during the stationary charging period,
• a single energy storage heat exchanger assembly surrounded by phase change material, the single energy storage heat exchanger assembly being operatively arranged in parallel to the exterior heat exchanger, and
• a switching valve having a first switching position and a second switching position, wherein in the first switching position, the switching valve connects the single energy storage heat exchanger assembly in series with the cabin heat exchanger and wherein in the second switching position, the switching valve connects the exterior heat exchanger in series with the cabin heat exchanger.