After being stuck in on the 38 highway for over 5 hours in a snow storm. Moving only a couple of feet every hour due to trucks constantly getting stuck on the icy roads. I began thinking of the energy consumption a electric restive heater has on the range of a EV. it seams ridiculous that Tesla is still not using a heat pump to help heat the cabin and instead relies on a restive heater, Tesla instead scavenges heat from various components. Given that even at low temperature a heat pump will typically use less electricity then a conventional electric heater (albeit at a reduced capacity).
That is when i remembered of parking heaters. Little furnaces that run on diesel or gasoline and use a heat exchanges to provide warm air to a vehicle. Knowing that using electricity to create is inefficient compared to just directly burning the fuel used to create such electricity. After doing some research i found said machine and discovered that they are very popular with RV's, boats, sheds, campers and as a supplemental heater in workshops. These heaters where originally designed by webesto, but the Chinese make a comparable heater that is used by the aforementioned parties. These heaters have a 2 gallon tank that burns very little diesel and last a day or more depending on use. On a long road trip or overnight use such heater could potentially significantly reduce electric consumption to one comparable to summer. These heaters cost around 150 dollars and come in either 2kw or 5kw sizes with all the required components.
Taking a look at the Model s it seems like their is more then sufficient room to install the heater and diesel tank behind the frunk liner on the facelift and would require the deletion of the cubby in the "classic" frunk. The ducting in the face lift version should be very straight forward only requiring a hole in the cabin air filter box. In the "classic" version it would require fabricating a duct to the cabin air filter box. But, should be relatively easy to place the hot air at the entrance of the air box. The air inlets could use the existing air inlet for the car. The exhaust could be routed either underneath the pack by the titanium shield bar or directly underneath the the frunk. The heater itself could be placed in a plethora of different locations given the lack of engine, but i do not think there would be enough space in a dual motor model. The other option would be placing it underneath the trunk load floor.
I know this is sacrilege. But, using fuel to create heat can be a very efficient way to produce heat.
"classic"
facelift
That is when i remembered of parking heaters. Little furnaces that run on diesel or gasoline and use a heat exchanges to provide warm air to a vehicle. Knowing that using electricity to create is inefficient compared to just directly burning the fuel used to create such electricity. After doing some research i found said machine and discovered that they are very popular with RV's, boats, sheds, campers and as a supplemental heater in workshops. These heaters where originally designed by webesto, but the Chinese make a comparable heater that is used by the aforementioned parties. These heaters have a 2 gallon tank that burns very little diesel and last a day or more depending on use. On a long road trip or overnight use such heater could potentially significantly reduce electric consumption to one comparable to summer. These heaters cost around 150 dollars and come in either 2kw or 5kw sizes with all the required components.
Taking a look at the Model s it seems like their is more then sufficient room to install the heater and diesel tank behind the frunk liner on the facelift and would require the deletion of the cubby in the "classic" frunk. The ducting in the face lift version should be very straight forward only requiring a hole in the cabin air filter box. In the "classic" version it would require fabricating a duct to the cabin air filter box. But, should be relatively easy to place the hot air at the entrance of the air box. The air inlets could use the existing air inlet for the car. The exhaust could be routed either underneath the pack by the titanium shield bar or directly underneath the the frunk. The heater itself could be placed in a plethora of different locations given the lack of engine, but i do not think there would be enough space in a dual motor model. The other option would be placing it underneath the trunk load floor.
I know this is sacrilege. But, using fuel to create heat can be a very efficient way to produce heat.
"classic"
facelift
