Systems and methods for clearing snow from an electric vehicle

A system associated with an electric vehicle, the system comprising:

• a sensor system;
• a communications system;
• and
• a snow clearing system;
• at least one processor in operable communication with the sensor system, the communications system and the snow clearing system, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to:
• detect, based on data from the sensor system, snow that may accumulate on a window of the electric vehicle;
• when the snow is detected, provide a notification, via the communications system, to a remote user device, wherein the notification requests user acceptance of use of charge of a battery of the electric vehicle to operate the snow clearing system of the electric vehicle;
• receive, by the communications system, a response to the notification from the remote user device;
• and
• when the response indicates acceptance of the use of charge of the battery:
• identify a selected automatic snow clearing level of a plurality of automatic snow clearing levels, wherein each automatic snow clearing level of the plurality of automatic snow clearing levels consumes a different amount of power from the battery;
• activate the snow clearing system, to operate according to the selected automatic snow clearing level to consume a respective amount of power from the battery corresponding to the selected automatic snow clearing level;
• and
• stop operation of the snow clearing system according to the selected automatic snow clearing level in response to detecting an exit condition so that no further charge of the battery is used by the snow clearing system.

An electric vehicle, comprising:

• a sensor system;
• a communications system;
• a snow clearing system;
• and
• at least one processor in operable communication with the sensor system, the communications system and the snow clearing system, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to:
• detect, based on data from the sensor system, snow that may accumulate on a window of the electric vehicle;
• when the snow is detected, provide a notification, via the communications system, to a remote user device, wherein the notification requests user acceptance of use of charge of a battery of the electric vehicle to operate the snow clearing system of the electric vehicle;
• receive, by the communications system, a response to the notification from the remote user device;
• and
• when the response indicates acceptance of the use of charge of the battery;
• identify a selected automatic snow clearing level of a plurality of automatic snow clearing levels, wherein each automatic snow clearing level of the plurality of automatic snow clearing levels consumes a different amount of power from the battery;
• activate the snow clearing system, to operate according to the selected automatic snow clearing level to consume a respective amount of power from the battery corresponding to the selected automatic snow clearing level;
• and
• stop operation of the snow clearing system according to the selected automatic snow clearing level in response to detecting an exit condition so that no further charge of the battery is used by the snow clearing system.