ACEA

ACEA members support global solution for new refrigerants

The amended EU-wide rules for new vehicles, applicable since 1 January 2011 for new vehicle types, require all automobile manufacturers to use a refrigerant in their air-conditioning systems with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) lower than 150 in accordance with the Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) Directive 2006/40/EC.

The automotive manufacturers have opted for by using the refrigerant R1234yf which has a GWP of 4, i.e. far below the 150 required by the new regulation.

They have strived to find a global solution because this would provide the best ecological, streamlined, timely introduction world-wide, and deliver economic advantages (economies of scale).
Automotive manufacturers will install only those refrigerants in mobile air conditioning systems where safety can be guaranteed during practical use. Over the past years years, R1234yf – and other alternatives – have been analysed thoroughly, in particular regarding safety aspects, covering the whole range from usage to maintenance and disposal.
Among others, the engineering body SAE International have conducted a cooperative research programme on the safety and environmental performance and concluded that HFO-1234yf can be used as the global replacement refrigerant in future mobile air conditioning systems, and that it can be safely accommodated.
Further details can be found in the SAE press release, available at: www.sae.org/

Vehicle manufacturers have been putting considerable efforts in research, development, testing and evaluation as well. Over a dozen automotive manufacturers (amongst others from China, Germany, France, UK, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Sweden and USA) as well as approximately 20 suppliers (from Asia, Europe and US) have conducted a number of comprehensive tests and studies in several internationally noted laboratories.

These results showed that the refrigerant R1234yf is safe, globally acceptable, can be used in today’s systems and is significantly better than the current refrigerant R134a, especially in terms of GWP (R134a provides a GWP of more than 1000 and R1234yf a GWP of only 4).

Last updated December 2011

Go back