January 11, 2023

Daikin Industries to Start Mass Production of New Refrigerant for Use in EV Air Conditioners

The investment will be several billion yen, and the plant will be operational and begin sample production in 2024. Air conditioning accounts for a large proportion of EV power consumption, and refrigerants with high energy-saving performance can increase the range. Daikin intends to install the system in mass-produced vehicles by 2027 and will promote proposals to automakers and others.

Daikin will install the new equipment at Kajima Manufacturing (Ibaraki Prefecture) and conduct a demonstration at a relatively small-scale test plant to establish mass production technology. For a commercial plant for mass production, Daikin will consider the location and scale of the hub based on the establishment of technology and inquiries from automakers.

EVs, which cannot use the exhaust heat from the engine for interior heating and cooling, require large power consumption when operating the air conditioning in winter. Electric heaters are used in cold regions, and the enormous power consumption by air conditioners has constrained the range.

The new refrigerant to be developed by Daikin has a lower boiling point than conventional refrigerants, thanks to the ingenuity of its components, and can reduce the amount of electricity required. The use of a new refrigerant could increase range while maintaining battery capacity. Daikin has already obtained the model number necessary for verification for commercialization, accelerating the move toward practical application.