PURPOSE: To enable a battery to be kept warm by use of a combustion heater without using battery power during travel.
CONSTITUTION: A combustion heater 28 is a means for heating cooling water through heat exchange with combustion gas, and can warm a battery 10 during travel without using the power of the battery 10, eliminating the need to increase power consumption. Since either the heater 28, an inverter 12 and a main motor 14 or the heater 28 alone can be selected as the source of heat for warming the battery 10 with the opening and closing motion of a first valve 26, the heat can be used efficiently. Keeping the battery temperature within the proper temperature range can prevent the distance traveled on a single charge from being shortened even in cold climates or in winter. Since the battery 10 is kept warm by the heater 28 during travel, the consumption of the battery 10 can be minimized, and this also contributes to preventing the distance traveled on a single charge from being shortened. The battery 10 is thus allowed to fully exhibit its ability from startup.
YAGI YOSHIHIRO
ICHIMURA NOBUO
