Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Tesla wants to reinvent comfort with liquid heating and cooling

By

In the world of manufacturing electric cars, thinking outside the box is mandatory. Electric-powered options normally supplied by an onboard power source need to be redesigned — after all, the more power you can devote to the drive system the further the range. To this end, the technology geniuses at Tesla are tackling a weird but crucial issue: heating and cooling seats.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office published an application on September 26 for a liquid-filled heated and cooled seat. The patent paperwork showed a liquid heating and cooling system utilizing dual bladders just under the seat fabric with a pump to circulate the liquid. A heating element and a fluid pump will handle the temperature changes far more efficiently than the standard all-electric heating currently in use.

Recommended Videos

The patent does not make entirely clear how the cooling effect will be attained, nor does it mention a specific model, such as the Tesla Model S or Model 3. Repeatedly, the term “temperature control unit” is used to explain the same principle as the heating. However the wizards of Palo Alto plan to make it work, they promise a system that is low cost, low noise, and power-efficient. The issue of noise in an electric car might not seem pressing, but it appears to be top of mind at Tesla. It remains to be seen how noise is a problem in an electric car but it seems to be an issue Tesla believes needs slaying.

Related

Just looking at the patent as a layman, one has to wonder what will keep the bladders from leaking from any number of scenarios that would introduce a sharp object into the vehicle. The patent leaves many questions unanswered such as the types of fluid used and the exact method of distribution of those fluids. Also unclear is whether tubing or chambered bladders will carry the as-yet-undisclosed type of fluid.

It should be noted that vehicle manufacturers apply for hundreds of patents every year for technology that never sees the passenger compartment. In this case though, with heated seats becoming a more sought after option for the overly-chilled backsides of millions of people, it makes sense that Tesla is going to great lengths to run innovative systems with a minimal power drain allowing more performance from the drivetrain.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
John Elkin
John Elkin
Worked for many off road and rally and sports car publications throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Decided to go look for a…
Don’t let the gimmicks fool you. The Ioniq 5 N is a serious track car
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N drifting.

We’re finally getting to the fun part of automakers’ methodical quest to replicate their lineups with electric cars.

Performance versions of ordinary cars have been a staple of the auto industry for decades. But while we’ve already seen some variants of EVs boasting more power and more impressive stats — think Tesla Model S Plaid or Lucid Air Sapphire — the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the first to truly apply that format to an EV.

Read more
The Maserati GranCabrio Folgore is one of the best-looking EVs yet
Front of the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore

Maserati is adopting electrified vehicles with open arms, and while that could potentially signal an identity crisis for the luxury Italian brand, that’s probably a good thing in the long run.

The company recently took the wraps off of the new Maserati GranCabrio Folgore, which is essentially a convertible version of its already released GranTurismo Folgore electric car. The new EV is its third go at electrified vehicles so far, and it flew us out to Rimini, Italy, to witness the big reveal in person.

Read more
EV warranties aren’t like those for non-electric cars. Here’s what you should know
Close up of the Hybrid car electric charger station with power supply plugged into an electric car being charged.

EVs are on the rise. With awesome new models finally rolling out and charging networks rapidly expanding, it feels like we're at the tipping point of electric cars being as mainstream as non-electric vehicles. But with a whole new type of vehicle come new challenges. One challenge is adapting to charging times. Another is paying closer to attention to range. And another, as some drivers are finding out, has to do with electric car warranties.

Turns out, the warranty that comes with electric cars isn't necessarily quite the same as the one that you might get with your non-electric car. If you really think about it, that's probably not all that surprising -- after all, while they can look the same, electric cars have a completely different makeup under the hood compared to their gas-powered cousins. But understanding an EV warranty could be the difference between winding up having to pay thousands for a battery replacement, or getting one repaired on the house.
It's not all new
Before diving into things like battery warranties, it's worth doing a quick primer on car warranties in general. EVs and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles usually come with two different warranties -- at least when they're bought new. First, there's the basic warranty (also known as bumper-to-bumper warranty), which covers every part of a car except for basic maintenance, usually for up to three years or 36,000 miles.

Read more