Volkswagen has ordered air conditioning systems that use CO2 as a coolant for its VW Phaeton and the Audi A8, the Frankfurter Rundschau reports.
In March 2013, VW, Daimler, Audi, BMW and Porsche originally announced plans to develop CO2 technology as a more climate-friendly refrigerant for air conditioning systems.
VW says CO2 as a refrigerant — also known as R744 — has lower greenhouse gas effects than conventional refrigerants, with a GWP (Global Warming Potential) value of 1, or 99.3 percent below the European Union-specified GWP limit of 150. The German automaker says the technology will be rolled out progressively over its entire vehicle fleet.
German media sources have reported four other carmakers — Daimler, Audi, BMW and Porsche — will also switch to CO2 technology in mobile air conditioning systems as an alternative to R-1234yf.
