The design aspects and heating strategy of an electrically heated converter have been analyzed using the transient monolith model developed and verified in our previous studies. The results of model calculations presented here quantify the beneficial effects on cold-start emission performance of increasing the power level and heating time, decreasing the volume of the resistively heated element, and preheating the converter prior to engine start. It is also shown that a feedback controller based on converter-bed temperature measurements provides a convenient means of modulating power supply during actual operation of electrically heated converters. Just as in conventional unheated monolith converters, catalyst deactivation is predicted to cause significant deterioration of heated converter performance; increasing the maximum power level for the controller appears to be an effective way of compensating for performance deterioration due to catalyst deactivation.