Is the compressor for the air conditioning system on the RX350h (hybrid) driven by the ICE or an electric motor ?

Thank you in advance,
DEL

 

Electric. If it was belt driven via engine then it wouldn't work when the engine was not running. Here's one on Ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225933825880

 

Its a heat-pump and therefore pure and efficiently electric, at least in my PHEV. Since it can do 45 miles on pure electricity, its almost a necessity of design of having it pure electric.

 

Interesting. I suppose only the 450h+ uses a heat pump and the other models use an ac compressor.

 

Yeah, the 450H+ inherited the Rav4 Prime heat-pump design in general.

Do you mean the hybrids all use a belt-driven compressor ? If so, when the hybrids cruise along on pure electric at low speeds and short ranges that its capable of and I believe does, how is the AC run on those scenarios with the gas engine switched off ?

 

No, they are electric powered as well. I was taking heat pumps vs. AC only compressors.