Car AC emissions could be cut by 60% annually
17th May 2026
USA: A new industry study claims that refrigerant emissions from automotive air conditioning systems in Europe could be reduced by around 60% annually by 2050.
The research, co-led by refrigerant producers Chemours and Solstice, was conducted by a technical working group looking at the whole vehicle lifecycle.
The report was initiated to support the authorities working on the PFAS restriction proposals. Led by the two refrigerant producers, the report was compiled with a technical working group comprising eight vehicle manufacturers, six tier 1 manufacturers, a garage chain, a distributor, and two end-of-life actors.
The objective was to quantify as an industry average the refrigerant emissions in mobile applications in the various stages of its lifecycle: refrigerant production, refrigerant delivery, vehicle first-fill, vehicle design, or emissions during the normal use of the vehicle, vehicle repair/accidents, vehicle service/repair, or the emissions related to the service and repair process (not the refrigerant used to recharge the system during maintenance), vehicle end of life, and refrigerant reclamation.
Through coordinated measures implemented across the full automotive value chain, it was found that the refrigerant emissions could be reduced from 14,979Mt annually in the 2021 baseline to 6,083Mt in 2025. An average of half of the cumulative emissions could be avoided between 2030 and 2050.
With investments being offset by longer component lifetimes and avoided repair costs, there is predicted to be no cost impact for consumers.
The study’s recommendations are said to be ready for rapid adoption across both conventional combustion engine and electric vehicles, supporting the shift toward a circular economy including end-of-life management through reclamation and recycling programmes.
According to the report compilers, these actions are underpinned by broad collaboration across the automotive value chain, paving the way for measurable progress in environmental sustainability and industry best practices.
The report – Lifecycle Refrigerant Emissions from Automotive Air Conditioning Systems in the
European Union – can be downloaded here.
