Once you’ve owned an electric vehicle, you’ve probably realized the range advantage that comes with turning off your heat or air conditioners.
It’s not a big issue as long as the temperatures are modest.
Ford engineers have been researching various means for heating the interior that may be more energy efficient than actually running a classic heater.
Heating interior panels in E-Transit vans
According to Motor1, Ford engineers have been testing heating interior panels to boost range in electric E-Transit vans.
This contains heating more traditional items like the driver’s seats and steering wheel.
What’s more intriguing is that they also experimented with heating other internal parts radiating heat across the cabin.
According to the results, the energy used was reduced by 13%.
This research was carried out as a component of a more comprehensive investigation into the ways in which a variety of factors, such as the weather, traffic, and road conditions, impact the range of an electric vehicle (EV).
This should help Ford better project range for individuals. Still, it is reported that the company sees a more significant value in providing fleet operators with a more precise calculation of how much range-specific routes will consume based on the van’s cargo load.
Ford’s eco-routing
It will also improve Ford’s ability to provide “eco-routing,” which selects the best way to a destination based on the time of day, charging needs, and other factors.
This “eco-routing” selects the best route to a destination based on how environmentally friendly the route is.
Even though we are not precisely discussing game-changing range figures that are based on incredible, ground-breaking technology, even the most minor improvements here and there can still add up over the course of time, especially in commercial applications, where drivers typically travel a great deal further each day than the typical person in the United States does.
