Germany’s powerful automotive association – the VDA – is urging the European Commission (EC) to allow two forms of refrigerant for use in passenger cars.
The coolant battle that emerged last year between German automaker, Mercedes-Benz, with its r134f refrigerant for the A, B and CLA models as well as the SL brand and the French government, which favours the lower-polluting r1234yf variant, shows no sign of dissipating, but the VDA is pressing for compromise.
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“We think two ways should be possible – on the one hand the refrigerant Honeywell is presenting and on the other the CO2-related one,” VDA president, Matthias Wissmann, told just-auto in Detroit, as the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) opened today (13 January).
“We only hope the EC leaves these two ways open – those companies who decide for the CO2 refrigerant should have their way, as well as the others.”
The contentious issue that saw Mercedes maintain the r1234yf coolant could present a fire hazard in certain conditions on one side and Honeywell pointing to its vastly more environmentally-friendly emissions properties, escalated rapidly up the political ladder last year, with the German government, safety authorities and the Commission in Brussels all becoming involved.
“We are in constant contact with the EC and also through our own government in telling them those companies who decide for the CO2 refrigerant don’t do that because of competitive reasons, but because of safety concerns, which others don’t have,” said Wissmann.
“It is also a scientific discussion – people can decide either way. The legal framework for all that is a decision of the EC which relates to the so-called global warming factor, which should come now to 150.”
Honeywell has firmly backed its r1234yf coolant, arguing it has been “proven time and again to be a safe and cost-effective automobile refrigerant.
“HFO-1234yf is available now and with a global warming potential of less than 1, which is 99.9% better than HFC-134a,” noted the chemical supplier previously.
The row saw Mercedes temporarily unable to sell the four models in France as the authorities banned the use of brands using 134a, but this was overturned by the country’s highest Court, the Council of State.
In turn the EC referred the issue to its Joint Research Centre, which conducted its own analysis of the situation.
