Mercedes-Benz says it will be the first automaker to equip its vehicles with carbon-dioxide air conditioning systems that it says will exceed the European Union’s climate protection requirements. From 2017 and starting in Europe, the German luxury and performance automaker will offer the S- and E-Class models as the first production passenger cars equipped with CO2 air conditioning systems. “Thanks to their especially quickly available and high cooling performance, CO2 air conditioning swiftly provides for a pleasant feel-good climate inside vehicles, even in very hot weather.” The systems are pressurized 10 times higher than conventional refrigerant systems now used in the auto industry, and all hoses, seals and components have been strengthened accordingly.
An S-Class sedan undergoes testing with a new air conditioning system that uses compressed carbon dioxide as the refrigerant.
