Chemours has backed automotive industry calls for longer transition periods for fluorinated gases used in mobile air conditioning (MAC) under the proposed EU PFAS restriction. Industry submissions cited by Chemours call for a minimum 13-year transition for light-duty electric vehicles and 20 years for other vehicle types, citing the lack of a drop-in replacement for R-1234yf.
According to Chemours, propane (R-290) and CO2 (R-744) are currently the only two non-PFAS refrigerants being evaluated for MAC applications. Industry submissions identify safety and regulatory barriers for R-290 due to its high flammability, while R-744 systems require different architectures and higher-pressure components, particularly in warm climates.
The submissions also state that either alternative would require a full system redesign and validation cycle covering vehicle integration, safety, servicing requirements and system performance. Chemours noted that the previous transition from R-134a to R-1234yf took more than 15 years.
A MAC Technical Working Group report released earlier this year found that measures including maximum leak rates, mandatory inspection and refrigerant recovery could reduce annual emissions by up to 60% during the transition period.
“Chemours supports the broader automotive value chain representatives in calling for a practical, science-based transition timeline for automotive air conditioning, protecting consumer access to safe, efficient, and sustainable vehicle cooling,” said Joseph Martinko, President of Thermal & Specialized Solutions at Chemours.
