In winter, a car starts consuming significantly more energy than in warmer seasons. As soon as the temperature drops below zero, the driver instinctively turns everything on at once: the cabin heater at maximum, the windshield, mirror, steering wheel, and, of course, seat heating. Comfort is important, but against the backdrop of tightening requirements for fuel and energy efficiency, another question arises more and more often — is it possible to reduce losses if these systems are used more consciously.
This topic is especially acute in the context of hybrid and fully electric vehicles, where every extra watt directly affects the range. In the automotive environment, one can increasingly hear the recommendation: in the cold, it is better to turn on the seat heating instead of warming up the entire cabin — this supposedly saves fuel or battery charge. How much does this advice correspond to reality, and is it not just another myth?
How Seat Heating Works and Why It Feels Faster
The seat heating system is a set of heating elements built into the seat cushion and back. Typically, these are electrical conductors located under the upholstery. After switching on, current flows through them, and after one or two minutes, the seat surface reaches a comfortable temperature.
The fundamental difference between this system and the standard cabin heating is the way heat is transferred. The climate control system first heats the cold air in the cabin, and then the heat is distributed throughout the volume. Seat heating works differently — it locally warms the part of the body that is in direct contact with the seat. Due to this, the sensation of heat arises faster and with significantly less energy consumption.
What Consumes More Energy: Heater or Seat Heating
To understand if there are real savings, it is important to compare the energy consumption of both systems.
A classic heater in gasoline and diesel cars uses the heat of the coolant heated by the engine. It has minimal direct impact on fuel consumption — additional losses are mainly associated with the operation of fans and auxiliary units.
The situation is quite different in electric vehicles. Here, an electric heating element or a heat pump is used to heat the air, and energy comes directly from the traction battery. Depending on the outside temperature and the intensity of operation, such a system can consume from 1 to 5 kW.
Seat heating looks much more modest against this background. Usually, only 50–100 W are required for one seat. Even if both front seats are turned on simultaneously, the total power rarely exceeds 100–200 W — this is many times less than the consumption of a full-fledged climate control system.
Savings in Practice: Calculations and Real Data
Practical experiments and calculations conducted in the USA, Europe, and Russia show a fairly clear picture.
For electric vehicles, the savings are most noticeable. If you drive for an hour in winter with the heater on, the energy consumption is approximately 1.5–2.0 kWh. In terms of range, this can mean a loss of 8–10 kilometers. Using the heating of two front seats instead will require a maximum of about 0.2 kWh, which reduces the range by only about 1 kilometer.
In the case of gasoline cars, the difference is less pronounced, but it exists. In cold weather, the engine has to work longer and more intensively to provide sufficient heat exchange for the heater. In hybrids and cars with a «start-stop» system, this can lead to additional short-term fuel consumption.
According to tests by Za Rulem and Consumer Reports, as well as studies by Ohio State University, at a temperature of about −10 °C and active use of the heater, electric vehicles lose up to 40% of their range compared to summer conditions. When using mainly seat heating, these losses are reduced to 10–15%.
Pros and Cons of This Approach
Advantages:
- heat is felt almost instantly;
- energy consumption is minimal;
- the range of the electric vehicle is preserved noticeably better;
- the driver and passenger warm up without waiting for the entire cabin to warm up.
Disadvantages:
- heat is supplied locally, mainly to the back and thighs;
- in severe cold or when transporting small children, there may not be enough warm air in the cabin;
- with the heater turned off, the windows in the cold can fog up faster.
Who Is This Method Really Suitable For
The greatest effect is obtained by owners of electric vehicles and hybrids — it is in their case that the combination of seat heating with minimal cabin heating allows you to optimally consume energy in winter trips. This approach is also convenient for city dwellers who need to warm up quickly on short morning routes, as well as for those who often make stops and start off again: the seat heats up almost instantly and does not require waiting.
In large gasoline and diesel cars, the economic effect is less pronounced, but the additional comfort from seat heating remains an undoubted plus.
Using seat heating as the main source of heat really helps reduce energy consumption in winter, especially in electric vehicles and hybrids. On short and medium distances, when there is no need to warm up the entire cabin, you can do without the full power of the heater.
Practical advice is simple: if it is important to save battery charge or reduce unnecessary fuel consumption, try starting the movement with the seat heating turned on. In a minute, the comfort will become noticeable. However, you should not completely abandon cabin heating — in some situations it is necessary for safety and health.