[triceratops]

In an EV they literally are.

[masklinn]

Yes?

But without the few bits and bobs of extra control for handling that condition they are, effectively, not.

Same for AC and heat pumps.

[triceratops]

EVs have regenerative breaking and so come with those bits and bobs.

[masklinn]

But not all electric motors are paired such. Which is the point: a heat pump and an AC are "the same thing" at the gross level, but that doesn't mean all ACs have all the bits and bobs necessary for them to act as heat pumps.