Mahle takes over Duisburg-based start-up O-Flexx

Thermoelectrics can be utilized to convert heat into electrical energy, turning previously unused waste heat into a valuable source of energy. Conversely, this technology can also contribute to generating heating or cooling from electrical energy. Established in 2006, the start-up company O-Flexx Technologies specializes in developing thermoelectric elements, which are used, for instance, to heat up the cabin of electrified vehicles. Compared with currently available standard solutions, this method is far more efficient. For electric vehicles, in particular, the previously unresolved conflict between electric cruising range and thermal comfort is thus becoming less critical. In vehicles with a combustion engine, for example, heat from exhaust gases can be converted into electrical energy, increasing the efficiency of the combustion engine. “With O-Flexx, MAHLE is stepping up its operations to include thermoelectric technology and is thus laying the foundation for innovative heating and cooling management in every vehicle class,” explains Wolf-Henning Scheider, Chairman of the Mahle Management Board and CEO. The group has already partnered with the Duisburg-based company on individual projects in the past.