Eberspächer, which is this year celebrating its 160 year anniversary, is exhibiting the AC138 EVO and the AC135 product family, air-conditioning systems for alternative drive technologies that utilise the natural refrigerant propane.
The series production of the AC138 EVO, which is used to air-condition the passenger compartments of city buses, has been underway since mid-2025. The all-electric platform, which uses CO2 (R744) as a refrigerant and features heat pump technology. The AC135 family is suitable for buses of all sizes, in all climate zones, and with all drive concepts.
The system has a cooling capacity ranging from 25 to 50 kW and is available for midibuses (25–27 kW), intercity buses and coaches (30–35 kW), and fully electric solutions (30–40 kW). High-performance models (40–50 kW) and all-electric heat pumps (30–40 kW) will follow halfway through 2026. Because CO2 is less productive at higher ambient temperatures, despite its low global warming potential, from 2026 the AC138 EVO will also be compatible with the natural refrigerant propane (R290). The world’s first system solution that enables the use of natural refrigerants in diesel buses is also presented at Busworld fair.
Heat recovery
The new Hydro Control System (HCS), which is designed for centralised control of all thermal processes in the bus, will also be presented by Eberspächer. The HCS network is a modular solution that integrates these units with heating and cooling circuits, utilising waste heat, to reduce the load on the battery. It has been shown to reduce electrical energy consumption by up to 23 percent. The E-Control module is the central operating element for all the bus’s thermal management components and allows the AC135 and AC138 EVO systems to be easily integrated into the e-connected digital service platform.
160 Years
The Eberspächer Group started 160 years ago in the German city Esslingen as Jakob Eberspächer founded a small tinsmith's workshop. Initially, Jakob Eberspächer manufactured everyday items such as watering cans and gutters. Now the company is focussing on innovations for the future "as a technology-driven company" and is entering new business areas through partnerships.