General Motors on Friday said it would introduce a new “greenhouse gas-friendly” air conditioning refrigerant in 2013 models in the US, claiming it would keep vehicle interiors as cool as today while reducing heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere by almost 100%.
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The biggest benefit of the new refrigerant, (HFO-1234yf) supplied by Honeywell, is that it breaks down faster in the atmosphere than the refrigerant currently used (R-134a which replaced CFC-12 in the early 1990s), On average, R-134a refrigerant has an atmospheric life of more than 13 years, giving it a global warming potential (GWP) of over 1,400, GM said.
By comparison, the new refrigerant lingers in the atmosphere for just 11 days and has a GWP of only 4, a 99.7% improvement.
GWP is a value used to compare different greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. The base measurement for GWP is relative to that of carbon dioxide (CO2).
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awards regulatory credit for the improved environmental performance of the new refrigerant, which helps GM meet the overall requirements of the EPA’s new motor vehicle greenhouse gas regulations.
The new regulation requires an overall 40% improvement in overall US fleet average vehicle fuel economy by 2016. The use of HFO-1234yf will help GM vehicles significantly exceed its targets under the new regulations.
“GM’s decision to adopt this new refrigerant is additional proof of our commitment to be on the forefront of green technologies,” said GM environment chief head Mike Robinson.
