Indian Motorcycle - Heated and Cooled Seats Using Graphene Nanomaterial
Indian Motorcycle has announced what it claims is a "revolutionary new technology geared to improve rider comfort through a patent-pending system that delivers superior cooling for a more pleasant riding experience in warm weather."
The all-new ClimaCommand Classic Seat delivers both heating and cooling to riders with a proprietary thermoelectric module that pumps heat away from the rider, a patent-pending ducting system for cooling the thermoelectric module and the use of graphene - a highly conductive and flexible two-dimensional material that won its inventors the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010.
In use as part of a motorcycle design, graphene's unique properties mean it can optimize the distribution of heating or cooling while maintaining superior comfort. In combination with Indian Motorcycle's thermoelectric technology, which is described as being much more effective than the automotive market standard of HVAC convection systems, "a critical performance benefit of the ClimaCommand technology is that it actually produces a surface that's cold to the touch, rather than merely pushing cool air through perforations in the surface in the manner that HVAC system offerings operate.
Ross Clifford, Vice President of Parts, Garments and Accessories at Indian Motorcycle says that "our thermoelectric technology paired with graphene material is truly a game-changer, and another example of Indian Motorcycle bringing difference-making innovation to the market."
To accomplish conduction heating and cooling, a thermoelectric module located within the seat directly regulates the temperature. Electricity is applied to a thermoelectric module, causing one side of the module to absorb heat and the opposing side to dissipate heat. By reversing electrical flow, the hot and cold temperatures alternate sides. The graphene, which is a nanomaterial created from 100% carbon atoms, is then used to ensure the heating and cooling is dispersed throughout the entire seat.
In addition to the all-new ClimaCommand Classic Seat, Indian Motorcycle is introducing an array of new parts and accessories for Scout and FTR 1200 models, including new semi-rigid Scout saddlebags and high or low mount carbon fiber Akrapovic FTR 1200 exhaust options, several new airbox tank cover options, new billet aluminum Rizoma mirrors and a carbon fiber nacelle to enhance the high-performance design of the FTR 1200.