The air conditioning (AC) system provides cool, heating and ventilation in the cabin of the electric vehicles (EVs). It is necessary to control the interior thermal environments of the vehicle and ensure safety in visibility. Because AC systems are electrically powered, vehicle range is reduced drastically when the AC system is operating. EVs present a particular challenge to the development of more efficient AC systems for automotive applications. In this paper, the state of the art for various AC system solutions to EVs was critically reviewed. The investigations of alternative solutions are continuing along many parallel routes, e.g. vapor compression refrigeration-dedicated heater AC systems, reversible vapor compression heat pump AC systems, non-vapor compression AC systems and integrated thermal management system combined AC and battery pack. The characteristics and particular applications of each solution have been extensively discussed. Finally, a comparison listing the various pros and cons of the different available solutions was presented.