Heated seats? Why not heated doors, armrests and sun visors too?

It might sound surprising, but luxurious features such as heated seats can actually be valuable ways to boost the range of an electric vehicle.
 
Usually, heating in a car is done by blowing warm air into the cabin. As part of an EU-funded research project, ¹ Ford engineers investigated how much more efficient it would be to control cabin temperature by fitting vehicles with heated panels rather than using warm air.

The research is particularly relevant for commercial vehicles, where Ford Pro is a leader in Europe, and Ford engineers used an all-electric E-Transit van ² to test their theories.
 

“We all know that if the doors or windows are opened when it is colder outside, the temperature inside a vehicle drops. This is especially true for delivery vans as drivers make frequent dropoffs and the heat generated via aircon is lost more quickly, while heated surfaces stay warm. Reducing energy use not only improves range, it also cuts costs and helps ensure that the way we travel is more sustainable.”

Markus Espig,

Ford Research and Innovation Centre Europe

 
Ford engineers fitted heated panels to the armrests, floor mats, door panels, sun visors and below the steering wheel of an E-Transit. This van was used for typical commercial vehicle tasks such as multi-drop parcel deliveries, special goods delivery and a one-day job 350 km away, in a range of weathers and conditions. 

Using the heated surfaces rather than warm air reduced energy consumption for cabin heat by as much as 13 per cent. ³ This could increase range by up to five per cent from a typical charge, adding up to hundreds of extra kilometres a year for EV drivers.

Data from this research is now being used in development of future Ford electric vehicles, and could even boost the efficiency and range accuracy of those already on the road via software updates.

¹ The Connected Electric Vehicle Optimised for Life, Value, Efficiency and Range project ran from October 2018 to October 2022 and was funded by the European Commission in the Research and Innovation Action Programme. The €5m project included ten partners from six European countries, with Ford receiving €1.1m towards the research. 
 
² These vehicle features are being developed for trial purposes only and are currently not available for purchase.

³ Based on the parcel delivery use case and the modified test vehicle, as researched by Ford. With conventional heating systems from the aircon activated, the range decreased by around 30 per cent. By using heated surfaces for heating in combination with a reduced aircon heat, the range could be extended by around five per cent, at -7°C ambient temperature
 

.

Follow @FordNewsEurope