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Comment by Aloha | Hacker News Reader

Which ICE cars use resistive heating? I've never seen an alternator large enough on an ICE car to do it. (I'm also skeptical of how well that'd work on a 12v electrical system)

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See this https://shops.audi.com/en_GB/web/zubehoer/p/retrofit-solutio... for example. I can only assume it's resistive, since it doesn't start the engine - but it might be a system for running the AC heatpump without engine, maybe. Also now that I think of it, window defrost is resistive.

I would guess system like this would be rare in US, because you are allowed to have remote start on your cars.

edit: never mind, it burns fuel https://www.auditech.org/acont-1427.html

Electric window defrosters are really low wattage - because its just trying to raise the temperature of the surface of the glass by a few degrees. Generally IIRC no more than 25-30a - which is a fair bit on a car with a 100a alternator - but less than for example the blower for the air conditioner.

I never thought I'd see the return of the gasoline heater. I wonder if its offered in the states.

Hybrids will commonly have them so they can run climate control independent of the engine (at least until the HV battery gets too low) and also bring coolant temp up faster. It seems like they are usually called the PTC heater or supplemental heater.

Ford also seems to offer them as an option (e.g. as part of the cold weather package)for a number of their straight ICE vehicles like the Bronco sport, Escape, or F-150.

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