A pleasant interior climate and still as much range as possible: This combination poses problems for many electric car drivers. Because cozy warmth in sub-zero temperatures costs a lot of electricity. This is exactly where a new development from ZF comes into play: the heated seat belt, so to speak the “heated seat belt”!
This ensures a feeling of warmth close to the body – and saves energy. ZF is presenting the innovation at the CES in Las Vegas (until January 8). Small wires, so-called heating conductors, are woven directly into the belt structure like threads. The contact elements for the electrical heating circuits are placed in such a way that they do not affect the operation of the belt or its retraction. The thickness of the webbing of around 1.3 millimeters is practically the same as that of an unheated seat belt, comfort and operation are identical. Buckle up, switch on, drive off – and then it’s pretty quick: Within two minutes, ZF promises, the Belts are heated from minus five to 40 degrees and ensure pleasant, even warmth where they are placed. According to the developers, the energy-intensive interior air conditioning can be significantly reduced through the combination with seat, belt and steering wheel heating. Up to 15 percent gain in range should be possible. And that without any restrictions on occupant protection. ZF also points to two other advantages of the innovation: Reaching for the seat belt is a matter of course – this ensures that the seat belt heater is always available. And: Because of the warmth on the body, the thick winter jacket is no longer necessary. As a result, the seat belt fits closer to the body and can hold back more precisely and provide better protection in the event of a crash. ZF has not yet commented on the costs of the heating system that has been developed and is ready for series production. Incidentally, the idea of heating wires over the solar plexus and abdomen is not entirely new. Ford already patented a similar development in 2018. And a year later, Mercedes presented a heating belt in an experimental safety vehicle.
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