Genesis testing 48-volt metal-coated heated windshield tech

Heated windshields are a fairly common feature, but Genesis is testing new hardware it claims can defrost windshields faster while using less energy.

Instead of the embedded wires used in current heated windshields’ Genesis version relies on 20 layers of transparent metal coating, which can conduct current supplied by a 48-volt electrical system to heat the windshield.

As detailed by the automaker, Genesis tested this setup on Electrified GV70 and GV60 electric SUVs in temperatures hovering around zero degrees Fahrenheit. According to the automaker, the metallic coating cleared windshields in just five minutes, compared to 15 minutes for conventional hardware. It also used 10% less energy, Genesis claims.

The metal coating also blocks up to 60% of solar energy entering a vehicle’s cabin, helping to lower interior temperatures by 35 to 37 degrees Fahrenheit on hot, sunny days, according to Genesis. That’s something the luxury brand’s parent Hyundai has already demonstrated with its own tests.

Other potential benefits include increased visibility from elimination of the tungsten wires used in normal heated windshields, Genesis claims. It would also lessen the need for dedicated windshield climate-control hardware to blow air on the inside of the windshield—the other primary defrosting method—opening up more possibilities for head-up displays and augmented reality navigation, Genesis claims.

Genesis noted that this system isn’t confirmed for production, but more elaborate heated windshields could become more common as automakers gradually shift to electric vehicles. General Motors patented its own heated windshield upgrade in 2023, which involved drawing power from an EV’s battery pack to remove windshield obstructions.