Infrared heating as an adjunct to achieve vehicle occupant thermal comfort

Traditionally vehicle occupants are warmed or cooled indirectly via heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The need to enhance electric vehicle range has fuelled interest in developing alternative, more energy efficient modes or adjuncts to HVAC systems to achieve thermal comfort. Infrared (IR) radiant heat, that falls directly on the individual, could be a more effective and energy efficient adjunct to traditional air heating methods. Therefore this investigation examined the impact of applying an IR heat source on vehicle occupants achieving thermal comfort.