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Global pressures to reduce CO₂ emissions and to lessen the influence of petroleum imports on national economies have accelerated the electrification of automotive power plants. The paradigm shift is driving investment in technologies aligned with electrification, such as electric motors and batteries. It also introduces new challenges for vehicle designers to manage the integration of new subsystems required by electrification. One consequence of increased electrification is a greater difficulty providing occupant thermal comfort. For the first time, automotive system developers must consider the energy required to heat as well as cool occupants and provide thermal management for a growing suite of electronic equipment.

The potential for thermoelectric power generation via waste heat recovery onboard automobiles to displace alternators and/or provide additional charging to a hybrid vehicle battery pack has increased with recent advances in thermoelectric materials processing. A preliminary design/modeling study was performed to optimize waste heat recovery for power generation using a modified radiator incorporating thermoelectric modules. The optimization incorporates not only thermoelectric performance but also critical systems issues such as accessory power consumption, vehicle drag, and added system weight. Results indicate the effectiveness of the thermoelectric module is extremely sensitive to ambient heat rejection and to the operating temperature range of the thermoelectric device.