Currently reading: EU calls for greener air-con
Car makers will be required to fit more eco-friendly air conditioning systems by 2011

Car makers will have to fit more environmentally friendly air conditioning systems to all new cars by 2011, the EU has said.

The motor industry had been lobbying for the new rules, which stem from the Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) directive from 2006, to be held off until 2017 as car makers struggle with the global downturn, and while they concentrate on more eco-friendly drivetrains.

But the European commission has ruled that the coolant used in current systems has too high a global warming potential, one that’s up to 1300 times greater than the effect of CO2.

The MAC directive says: “Emissions of hydrofluorocarbon-134a (HFC-134a), which has a global warming potential of 1 300, from air conditioning systems in motor vehicles are of growing concern because of their impact on climate change. Cost-effective and safe alternatives to hydrofluorocarbon 134a (HFC-134a) are expected to be available in the near future.”

The pressure is now on manufacturers to come up with an alternative refrigeration system, as even aftermarket systems will have to conform to the new rules by 2011.

Some makers are investigating using CO2 itself. This has a much lower global warming potential than the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) currently used, but remains in the atmosphere for around 500 years.

US company Honeywell also claims to be developing a new type of air-con HFC that remains in the atmosphere for just 11 days, rather than the 13 years of the current air-con HFC.

Matt Rigby

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addam 10 June 2013

Let's hope that things will

Let's hope that things will get even better from here on. I know we have some very interesting prospects on air conditioning, I've read it on this air conditioning service Denver resource.  It really got me thinking about what to expect next.

kristern ruth 3 November 2012

We now have think it is may

We now have think it is may be kms better to keep up with the genuine A/C in terms of, in addition to get a new specific conditions as outlined by your overall software. Travel your current change pretty each day in case you are not really likely to end up property, will not toughness thinking decrease, because of the fact it's going to have the best value considerably more energy to wind down a location and likewise choice of places from your uncooled identification, as opposed to to keep up heat amount.

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jacklance 31 October 2012

It will definitely create a

It will definitely create a huge impact on environment and specially on car performance.