A Canadian startup, Betterfrost Technologies, has developed a new system to keep vehicle windshields clear of ice. Unlike current methods, their tech, called “pulsed electro-thermal deicing,” can defrost an icy windshield in mere seconds.
Today, the only ways to clear a vehicle’s windshield of ice are to turn on the car and run the defroster, scrape the ice off by hand, or, on rear windshields, wait for the electrified lines to melt the ice. None of these methods is exactly high-tech, or quick.
Betterfrost Technologies’ ice-melting system for vehicles’ windshields has been around since 2022, but it was featured this week by The Drive and Automotive News Canada. Why we are just now hearing about it is a mystery, because this deicing system would be magical for anyone who lives in a climate that gets cold.
According to Betterfrost, their “solution defrosts and defogs Electric Vehicles’ windshields with 20 times less power than current technology and extends the range of an EV by 38 km on an average commute in winter.” That, according to the company, is “worth $600/vehicle in battery pack cost to automakers.”
“Our system provides high-voltage, pulsed power to the transparent, conductive layer inside of windshields (e.g. low-e glass),” the company explains. “Our solution is based on decades of research at the Dartmouth Ice lab, where they studied how ice forms, adheres to surfaces, and melts.”
“Our patented system controls the penetration depth of heat to provide only the minimal amount of heat necessary to melt the boundary layer of ice for easy removal,” the company continued. “This is in contrast to current methods, which flood surfaces with heat and are energy-intensive. Our solution also keeps the windshield fog-free with 20x less energy than current methods.”
Betterfrost CEO Derrick Redding told Automotive News Canada their approach uses “95 to 99 per cent less energy than HVAC deicing.”
Genius? It sure seems to be. So, again, what are car manufacturers waiting for? Let’s get this on all new cars at least as an option!
Doug Sheckler is a Senior Editor at MotorBiscuit and BroBible. He began his professional career working for an auto racing sanctioning body, and subsequently founded his own racing series, which remains in operation today. He has since spent the better part of two decades creating, editing, and writing for a variety of websites.
These days, he has a special affinity for hypercars and other exotic vehicles that he will never own. He also enjoys delving into stories about the world of criminals, the more foolish and/or clever the better, and is always up for a good conspiracy theory. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the University of Iowa.

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