German automotive manufacturers also lead in CO2-friendly refrigerants for air-conditioning
Frankfurt am Main, 20 October 2008. The German automotive industry is working towards more climate protection in the area of air-conditioning systems. As early as September 2007, vehicle-makers in the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) had agreed to use the especially environmentally-friendly natural refrigerant R744 (CO2) in vehicle air-conditioning in future, thus becoming the first automotive companies anywhere in the world to do so. German manufacturers and suppliers are working intensively together on the series development and introduction of this climate-friendly technology.
In recent months this decision has been a major factor stimulating international developments in alternative chemical refrigerants. European, American and Asian automotive manufacturers have been offered a new, potentially globally usable alternative refrigerant (R1234yf), which likewise was to combine a low global warming potential (GWP) with economic advantages. Of course this option is also being examined thoroughly by German automotive companies. Most of them have now completed their assessments and found that the alternative refrigerant is not an option. Other companies have not yet finished their investigations.