Elon Musk: Tesla Model Y heat pump is some of the best engineering I’ve seen in a while

Elon Musk praised Tesla’s team for the Model Y’s heat pump — a feature that could make the electric SUV much more efficient in colder climates.

Last week, Tesla started deliveries of the Model Y, its fourth vehicle in the current lineup and fifth model ever.

Since the start of deliveries, we have been learning more details about the new electric SUV through Tesla releasing Model Y support videos and the owner’s manual.

As we previously reported, one of the features that was discovered through the release of the owner’s manual was that the Model Y is equipped with a heat pump.

In the “climate control operating tips” section of the manual, Tesla wrote:

Model Y uses a heat pump to maximize efficiency; therefore, your air conditioning compressor and external fan may run and make noise even when the outside temperature is cold and your vehicle is heating or supercharging.

A heat pump is a device that transfers heat energy from a source of heat to what is called a thermal reservoir.

It’s a device that is not in the Model 3 and it can make vehicles much more efficient in colder climates, which can affect the range of any vehicles — although there’s more focus on EV range.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk commented on the heat pump design on Twitter and praised the team that designed it:

Model Y heat pump is some of the best engineering I’ve seen in a while. Team did next-level work.

Musk elaborated on the design of the Model Y’s heat pump:

PCB design techniques applied to create a heat exchanger that is physically impossible by normal means. Heat pump also has a local heating loop to spool up fast & extend usable temperature range. Octavalve is pretty special, too. Team did great work. No credit to me.

You can actually get a look at the Model Y’s heat pump, thanks to YouTuber DÆrik who removed the front trunk in his Model Y to reveal the device:

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