See This Advanced Windshield Remove Ice Almost Instantly

      Betterfrost via YouTube, edited by the author

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      Most vehicles rely on engine coolant heat to blow warm air from dashboard vents to clear ice off windshields during winter. Some models feature small heated lines across the glass. Yet, I recently discovered a Canadian company with an innovative windshield de-icing solution that doesn't need engine heat, making it especially effective for electric vehicles, but also applicable to various situations where ice needs to be removed.

      Ontario-based Betterfrost has been publicly active since 2020 and won the 2022 "Create the Future Design Contest" in the Automotive/Transportation category. A collaboration with major automotive parts supplier Denso was announced in 2024. This week, it caught our attention through Automotive News Canada, which suggests that more car manufacturers may be interested in implementing this technology.

      Betterfrost refers to its technology as “pulsed electro-thermal deicing (PETD).” By using a combination of sensors and targeted heat application, the concept is to melt only a thin layer of ice to break its bond with the surface. Once this layer turns to water, larger pieces of ice come off much more easily. This method could be termed as concentrated penetration—by efficiently targeting just a thin layer of ice, this technology reportedly defrosts a windshield much faster than traditional air-blasting techniques.

      Betterfrost, edited by the author

      This technology is effective on other conductive surfaces as well—Betterfrost has also tested it on airplane wings and coil tubes.

      The system operates via a computer chip that manages the process, working alongside low-emissivity glass coatings that enable electrical pulses.

      AN Canada highlighted comments from CEO Derrick Redding, who mentioned that this method uses "95 to 99 percent less energy than HVAC deicing." Benefits have been quantified to extend "the range of an EV by 38 km [approximately 24 miles] during an average winter commute. This range translates to $600 per vehicle in battery pack costs for automakers." However, these figures are from 2022, so they might have changed. Nevertheless, it appears to be a promising solution, not only for EVs but for any situation where ice accumulation can be problematic.

      While much of Betterfrost’s promotional content focuses on electric vehicles, I believe it could also be effectively applied to gasoline cars. Personally, I dislike waiting for my engine to warm up before using the defroster, even during the relatively mild winters of Hudson Valley, New York.

      Betterfrost has collaborated with the Ice Research Laboratory at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire to refine the science of melting ice. Here’s a demonstration showcasing the effectiveness of its melting capabilities using a Lexus RX:

      Betterfrost Defrost Demo Video

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