Hanon Systems' HICE module named finalist for 2026 PACE Award

Hanon Systems, a global automotive thermal energy management solutions company, announced Wednesday that its ultra-compact integrated refrigerant module — the HICE module — has been named a finalist for the 2026 Automotive News PACE Award.

Now in its 31st year, the PACE Award is organized by US automotive trade publication Automotive News and annually recognizes outstanding innovations in the automotive industry based on technological merit and business impact. A total of 32 innovations, including Hanon Systems' HICE module, were selected as finalists this year. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in Detroit in November, following a rigorous evaluation by a panel of judges.

The HICE module integrates key refrigerant thermal management components — including an electric compressor, electronic expansion valve, water-cooled condenser, internal heat exchanger and chiller — into a single compact, high-performance unit. The system replaces conventional refrigerant architectures, sharply reducing system complexity while simultaneously simplifying assembly processes for automakers, freeing up packaging space and cutting material costs.

Despite weighing just 16 kilograms, the module enables fast and precise control of refrigerant flow and temperature under rapid-charging and high-performance driving conditions, delivering optimal thermal management performance. The technology significantly boosts electric vehicle energy efficiency and driving range, and a dedicated sound cover further enhances noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) control. The HICE module made its debut on the BMW iX3.

With this latest finalist selection, Hanon Systems has now earned nine PACE Award finalist nominations in total. The company made history in 2007 as the first Asian HVAC supplier to win a PACE Award, taking home the prize for its next-generation Wave Fan and Serrated Shroud cooling fan module technology. It won a second award in 2013 for its Metal Seal Fitting technology, reached the finalist stage again in 2016 with its UV LED Photocatalyst technology, and claimed a third PACE Award win in 2025 for its HVAC antibacterial and deodorizing technology using visible-light LED photocatalytic reactions.

"The HICE module goes beyond simple component optimization — it is a paradigm shift in thermal management achieved by redesigning the entire system, and the fruit of structural innovation in electric vehicles," said Lee Su-il, vice chairman and CEO of Hanon Systems. "Having our technology recognized again at the globally prestigious PACE Award, we will continue to lead the market for next-generation electric vehicle thermal management solutions, building on our unrivaled system integration expertise and NVH control technology."

Hanon Systems posted second-quarter consolidated sales of 2.88 trillion won ($2.03 billion), up 0.6 percent from the same period last year, while operating profit rose 61.2 percent year-on-year to 103.7 billion won.