Mercedes-Benz AC system will go through change as the refrigerant is going to be changed with CO2 Air-Conditioning, which will pollute the air 99% less than current
Germans have a very unorthodox way and the very complicated way of thinking. Hence their cars meet customer demands to the very the limit and provide the ludicrous demands over the past year. These demands include just not from customers who want a bigger touch screen interface, but also from an enthusiast who want best in class handling and ride quality along with unmatched performance.
To do all of that there are lots of things coming in the way and hence to meet them all, there have to take ways and include things that are overly expensive or don’t do well with the environment.
Mercedes has just announced that they will be changing the their refrigerant which is present in Mercedes-Benz Air-Conditioning system. The refrigerant is known as Tetrafluoroethane (R123a) (Pronounce it and get a prize). Something that was being used since day one and till date for the air-conditioning system. The VDA said they should use Tetrafluorpropen (R-1234yf) instead.
However, Mercedes agreed to test it out in their cars and found that refrigerant (Tetrafluorpropen (R-1234yf) was substance to flammable when the car met with an impact. This decision was supported by its key rivals such as BMW and Volkswagen as well who were told to follow same procedure.
To wit, Mercedes, being Mercedes, came up with a solution that Carbon dioxide is a better solution than any refrigerant and told this to the EU body. However, getting Co2 work in A/C system will take time as Mercedes is working on an electrically operated compressor, which will come in the future and help A/C work with Co2 as refrigerant.
Mercedes says key components such as hoses and pipes will be re-designed from scratch as the pressure of Co2 is much more than before. Mercedes will meet this demand and will come in all cars by 2017. Meanwhile, going with the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) plan. Mercedes has made temporary changes to their petrol engined cars to run on the controversial refrigerant Tetrafluorpropen (R-1234yf).
This problem of flaming has countered by including a gas generator that release inert argon gas on hot spots and prevents the refrigerant to catch fire on impact. Hybrid models of 2016 will are all set to get the same. Mercedes says that Co2 will help cabin cooler very quickly, even quicker than before.
The reason why the refrigerant is being asked to change is because it has the Global Warming Potential (GWP) score of 1300 meanwhile the other refrigerant GWP score is only 150. However, German Association of the Automotive Industry is agreed to Mercedes that carbon dioxide is better and its GWP score is just 1.
Co2 it’s 99.3% less than VDA favorite refrigerant. E and S Class will be the first cars to get in 2017 and the rest of the cars will follow. Expect Mercedes-Benz to get even COOLER than before, pun intended!
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