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Previously, air conditioners equipped in hybrid vehicles were powered by the gasoline engine and of course they shut down whenever the engine was switched off during idle-stops.*
In response, DENSO developed its Electric Compressor for operating the air conditioner that is smaller in size, more efficient, and is powered not by engine, but by electricity stored in the battery. The Electric Compressor enables passengers to use the air conditioner while the engine is off, and saves fuel by 19% thanks to electrical energy instead of power from gasoline. This results in a reduction of CO2 emission gases that cause global warming, and also conserves fuel.
The Electric Compressor weighs 50% less and is 40% smaller in size compared with previous compressors for battery-type vehicles. The noise the compressor generates is much less than that of a fluorescent lamp. Moreover, the Electric Compressor is equipped on second-generation Prius models and received the Climate Protection Award in the U.S.A. |
| *Idle-stop: Switching off the engine for a short period of time while waiting at a traffic signal, loading or unloading, etc. |
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