Electric cars have come a long way in recent years, offering a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to traditional petrol or diesel-powered vehicles.
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But, as any electric car owner will tell you, one of the biggest challenges with these vehicles is keeping warm during the colder months. Enter the electric car heater! This unsung hero may not be as glamorous as the EV battery or electric motor. Still, it plays a crucial role in making the electric car ownership experience comfortable and enjoyable all year round. Our website visitors are way more interested in EV subscription than non-electric cars, so we decided to research this and write this detailed guide!
In this article, we'll take a closer look at how the heaters in EVs work, their benefits and limitations, and how manufacturers work to overcome some of the more pressing challenges. So, let's dive in and get toasty!
There are a few options available for keeping warm in an EV. The two most common electric car heaters are resistive and heat pumps. Resistive heaters are being phased out, and most early EVs were equipped with them, but we'll explain how they work anyway!
Resistive heaters are similar to the ones you might find in a traditional non-EV car. In simple terms, an engine creates heat by operating. That heat is then used to warm up the car. However, due to the nature of electric vehicles, they are highly efficient and produce little heat, so they are less efficient than heat pumps.
The main advantage of a resistive heater is its simple design, low manufacturing cost and easier maintenance. However, it is less energy efficient than a heat pump, as it converts around 60-70% of the electrical energy into heat, while the rest is wasted as heat loss.
The first generation of the Nissan Leaf (released in ) had a resistive heater. Heat pumps were relatively undeveloped technology then, so newer models have switched and completely dropped their use.
Source: Hyundai and KiaOn the other hand, a heat pump works by warming up the outside air and transferring it into the car's cabin. This type of heater is more energy efficient, with a coefficient of performance (COP) of around 2-3, meaning it can transfer 2-3 units of heat for every unit of electrical energy it consumes.
However, it can be more complex and costly to manufacture, requiring additional components such as a compressor, evaporator, and condenser. This also means more things can break. But think of it like a reverse air conditioner for your car!
Having said that, when the team looked into some of the newer EVs, we found that some come equipped with both a resistive heater and a heat pump. When it goes very cold, think -10C, the heat pumps may struggle a little bit, so the resistive heater can help keep you warm when behind the wheel!
Looking for a new EV and want one with a heat pump as standard? You should check out the following models:
When it comes to electric car heaters, there are certainly some advantages that make them worth considering. Let's take a look at a few of the key benefits.
First and foremost, they are are far more energy efficient than traditional cars with an internal combustion engine (ICE). As we've discussed earlier, resistive heaters convert around 60-70% of the electrical energy into heat, while heat pumps have a coefficient of performance (COP) of around 2-3. This means that, compared to ICE car heaters, EV heaters are more efficient in energy utilisation.
Source: Hyundai and KiaAnother advantage of these heaters is that they can help save you money in the long run. Because the car's battery powers them, you won't have to worry about buying and paying for fuel to keep your vehicle warm. Plus, since electric cars are cheaper to operate, you'll save money in more ways than one.
In some electric cars, the heater can be used to preheat the cabin while the car is still plugged in and charging, which can help to conserve battery power for driving. And you can do that remotely! Now that's handy! This is especially useful when driving in winter (see our latest tips!)
Finally, they can help improve the overall driving experience. With non-EVs, you have to wait for the engine to warm up before you can start enjoying a comfortable cabin temperature. But with an electric car, the heater can be turned on as soon as you get into the car so that you can enjoy a warm and comfortable cabin right away. In addition, electric car heaters are typically quieter, which can improve the overall driving experience.
As with any technology, electric car heaters have a few challenges and limitations. While these may seem like a hindrance, it's important to keep in mind that manufacturers are actively working to overcome these obstacles.
One of the biggest challenges is their impact on the car's range. When the heater is turned on, it can significantly reduce the car's range, as it consumes a lot of energy. This can be particularly problematic in colder climates where the heater is used frequently.
However, manufacturers are working on mitigating this issue, such as using regenerative braking to top up the battery while driving or developing more energy-efficient heaters.
Another challenge is the cost of the heat pump, which is relatively higher than a resistive heater. This makes it difficult for some manufacturers to include it as standard equipment in their cars. However, as the technology matures and economies of scale come into play, the cost is expected to come down.
At the time of writing, we could find heat pumps as optional add-ons on more premium trim levels. So be prepared to fork out anything between £600 and £1,200 for the privilege! Luckily most of the UK doesn't get as cold as North America, but it may be worth it if you live in Scotland.
What do people say about these heaters?
My dad's flight was delayed' '' but no biggie we just watched TV in the car while we waited. Heat pump keeping us warm '' Can any other car brand do this? pic.twitter.com/D4AvyKuiEI
' Tailosive EV (@TailosiveEV) December 17,
Like we mentioned above, heat pumps are a bit more complex and perhaps may be harder to fix, so there are few things one can do to make sure problems are avoided:
To sum up, electric car heaters are essential to the electric car ownership experience, especially for those living in colder climates. They provide a comfortable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective way to keep warm during the colder months.
If you are thinking of switching to an EV, check some of the best electric cars you can subscribe to (without the long-term commitment). Or search for available vehicles today!
Despite what we're told about petrol/diesel being phased out sooner than was thought we're all still uncertain about so much associated with dependance on them - and despite having looked through much of the above, it's still not clear to me how we'll get on with EVs in a properly cold winter and I still haven't grasped how the heater actually works. I've seen the terms " resistive heater" and "heat pumps" but, sadly, I'm too stupid to make sense of either.
A couple of years on .... the onward march of EVs hasn't waned, in fact quite the opposite, apparently.
THREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - Bromptonaut
I've seen the terms " resistive heater" and "heat pumps"
Not that bright but I've read a bit today about heat pumps in a household environment. Think air conditioning in reverse- heat is sucked from the air outside and used to heat the car.
I'd guess a resistive heater is using leccy to warm wires - like a fan heater.
Either can run while the car is charging and potentially store heat either in a liquid or blocks similar to those in a storage heater. If that gets the car warm before setting off, and can keep it that way without recourse to leccy that might otherwise be available to the motors for an hour, then that's enough for a hell of a lot of people's commutes.
Reply | Report as offensive LinkTHREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - KB.
You could be right.
Either way the whole EV thing sounds mighty complex for the average Joe when lights start appearing on the dash just as he's about to leave for Midnight Mass in the cold and wet.
I think I'll put the whole thing off until either (a) I'm forced to adopt it (by which time, hopefully, there'll be enough people around who understand it and can overcome the sundry problems that'll occur) - or (b) I'm no longer extant and don't have to worry about it any more.
Reply | Report as offensive LinkTHREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - Terry W
Radical solution for those worried about being caught in snow or a bit of cold.
Keep a thick coat, blanket, a few bars of chocolate, and a couple of bottles of water in the boot. Will keep you warm, fed and irrigated for 12 hours!
The water may freeze if it gets really cold so perhaps vodka would be an alternative solution.
Alternatively you could join the numpties who, after having been advised of severe weather, simply think that they are immune from snowdrifts - just stay at home.
With apologies to the less than 5% who genuinely live in truly remote areas.
Reply | Report as offensive LinkTHREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - Avant
Fear not, KB: I'm sure you'd have the good sense to charge the EV up on Christmas Eve!
At least in theory, there should be fewer things to go wrong with an EV than an ICE car, so one would hope fewer reasons for the Christmas tree to light up on the dashboard.
That said, we haven't seen a Land Rover EV yet....
Reply | Report as offensive LinkTHREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - focussed
I'm not particularly bright but a "resistive heater" sounds like a heater with a resistive element - like your common or garden mains powered fan heater.
Heat pumps are in effect a refrigerator running backwards. The cold bit like the inside of your 'fridge is outside the car being warmed up by outside heat - (you hope in a scottish blizzard!) and the warm bit is comparable to the condenser element at the back of your 'fridge which gets hot and which presumably is inside the car to hopefully warm you and the windscreen up.
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But why on earth any manufacturer would go the expense and complication of a heat pump system to provide heat for a car interior. is beyond me.
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THREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - bathtub tom
I understand the electrical system of an EV generates quite a bit of heat. How much of that can be used to heat the cabin, I don't know.
Reply | Report as offensive LinkTHREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - focussed
I understand the electrical system of an EV generates quite a bit of heat. How much of that can be used to heat the cabin, I don't know.
I was reading up on fuel cell EV's fuelled by hydrogen and they are only about 40% efficient in the fuel cell, so they need a cooling system, more than enough heat available for interior heating, The battery EV's I don't know either!
Reply | Report as offensive LinkTHREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - Chris79
I drove my Ioniq full electric to work today, when I left at 6am it was 8c outside and the range showed as 183 miles. I would estimate the 100% range has decreased by around 15 miles since the temperature has dropped, it used to show some where between 196-200 when fully charged.
i drove to work (45 miles), a minute of 60% dual carriageway and 40% a roads. I didn't push it and left the car in eco mode rather than normal or sport.
the heated seats remained on for the whole journey along with the heated steering wheel, the fan setting was on 1 (minimum) and temperature set to 21c.
Once on the dual carriageways I sat at 60 with the adaptive cruise control on and when I reached work the range was 140 miles left. In effect I'd used 43 miles of range for 45 miles of actual journey.
it is true to say I have made compromises now I drive an EV. Before in my diesel I'd have whacked the heater to full, had it set on an higher fan setting and driven faster with less concern for gentle acceleration, that said I wasn't in a hurry so it didn't make one jot of difference.
would I have run out of battery if I'd been stuck in traffic for hours with the heater on, ultimately yes but it's not a pressing concern of mine.
at the moment it is costing me £3.35 to put a 100 miles of charge in the car, as opposed to roughly £10.35 of diesel working on 50mpg and £1.15 a litre.
The car (leased) is costing me 306£ a month inclusive of everything bar electricity and as it is by salary sacrifice there is an income tax saving associated with it.
on this basis at the moment it is an absolute no brainer, how long the BiK holiday will last is another matter but for now I'm making hay whilst the sun shines.
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THREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - madf
I understand the electrical system of an EV generates quite a bit of heat. How much of that can be used to heat the cabin, I don't know.
All vehicle with batteries used for motion (EVs and hybrids) have battery cooling systems.
I believe in most cases driven by air and exhausted into the outside
(In the case of the Ford Kuga EV, not very well designed with fires resulting from overheating. Now redesigned and being retrofitted Typical of a company poor at testing new products)
Reply | Report as offensive LinkTHREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - KB.
Whilst thanking those who replied, I don't think I'm any wiser with regard to knowing how EV heaters work.
The heater on an ICE is simlicity itself to understand (even if getting to the matrix behind the dashboard isn't) ... but i haven't understood how an EV heater works. Maybe the simple explanation is it's just an element like a fan heater? If it's that simple then so be it.
Reply | Report as offensive LinkTHREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - edlithgow
The heater on an ICE is simlicity itself to understand (even if getting to the matrix behind the dashboard isn't) .
Mine isn't.
There's no matrix, so I THINK any heating provision must be via the aircon system.
Which I don't understand and have never used.
If there's a sudden global cooling I'll be in big trouble. Might have to wear a jacket.
If I was from Newcastle, I wouldn't be able to do that, and I'd die.
Edited by edlithgow on 01/12/ at 00:20
Reply | Report as offensive LinkTHREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - galileo
The heater on an ICE is simlicity itself to understand (even if getting to the matrix behind the dashboard isn't) .
Mine isn't.
There's no matrix, so I THINK any heating provision must be via the aircon system.
Which I don't understand and have never used.
If there's a sudden global cooling I'll be in big trouble. Might have to wear a jacket.
If I was from Newcastle, I wouldn't be able to do that, and I'd die.
Your last sentence is so true, my son went to Newcastle Uni but used to go out in shirt sleeves when it snowed at home in the West Riding anyway.
Reply | Report as offensive LinkTHREAD REVIVAL ALERT! Electric Car (EV) Interior Heaters - bathtub tom
If I was from Newcastle, I wouldn't be able to do that, and I'd die.
Not if you had a gender re-assignment, put on a massive amount of weight and wore a mini-skirt.
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