An air conditioning system of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a cabin, the cabin comprising a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is a driving portion and the second section is a living portion, the air conditioning system comprising: an electric compressor not driven by the internal combustion engine and that is powered by a battery pack; a condenser that is configured to receive refrigerant output by the electric compressor and that transfers heat from the refrigerant within the condenser to air passing the condenser; a first control valve; a first evaporator that is configured to receive refrigerant from the condenser when the first control valve is open and that transfers heat from air passing the first evaporator to the refrigerant within the first evaporator; a first blower that is configured to blow air across the first evaporator to the first section of a cabin of the vehicle; a second control valve; a second evaporator that is configured to receive refrigerant from the condenser when the second control valve is open and that transfers heat from air passing the second evaporator to the refrigerant within the second evaporator; a second blower that is configured to blow air across the second evaporator to the second section of the cabin of the vehicle; characterized by a control module that is configured to start operation of the electric compressor in response to a determination that both (a) the internal combustion engine of the vehicle is on and (b) the first blower is blowing air across the first evaporator, and open the first control valve only in response to a determination that (a) the internal combustion engine of the vehicle is on and (b) the first blower is blowing air across the first evaporator. an electric compressor not driven by the internal combustion engine and that is powered by a battery pack; a condenser that is configured to receive refrigerant output by the electric compressor and that transfers heat from the refrigerant within the condenser to air passing the condenser; a first control valve; a first evaporator that is configured to receive refrigerant from the condenser when the first control valve is open and that transfers heat from air passing the first evaporator to the refrigerant within the first evaporator; a first blower that is configured to blow air across the first evaporator to the first section of a cabin of the vehicle; a second control valve; a second evaporator that is configured to receive refrigerant from the condenser when the second control valve is open and that transfers heat from air passing the second evaporator to the refrigerant within the second evaporator; a second blower that is configured to blow air across the second evaporator to the second section of the cabin of the vehicle; characterized by a control module that is configured to start operation of the electric compressor in response to a determination that both (a) the internal combustion engine of the vehicle is on and (b) the first blower is blowing air across the first evaporator, and open the first control valve only in response to a determination that (a) the internal combustion engine of the vehicle is on and (b) the first blower is blowing air across the first evaporator.