Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) announced the European launch of its 'Direct to YF Retrofitting Program', enabling older cars using refrigerants with a high global warming potential (GWP) to be serviced directly with Solstice® 1234yf, the leading low-GWP automotive refrigerant. The program underscores Honeywell’s commitment to supporting customers in their journey to net zero and also supports Honeywell’s alignment of its portfolio with several compelling megatrends, including the energy transition.  

More than 140 million cars in Europe currently have air conditioning systems that use R-134a, a [high-GWP] refrigerant that is being phased out under Europe’s F-Gas Regulation. Over the past nine years, the availability of these types of F-gases on the European market has been reduced by two-thirds and the EU has set a goal of complete removal by 2050. As R-134a becomes more expensive and harder to find, Honeywell’s Solstice yf offers the automotive aftermarket industry an economical and emissions-reducing option when servicing older vehicles.  

“Solstice 1234yf has been widely adopted by the automotive industry, and this retrofitting process is the easiest, most reliable and best-performing option for car repair shops across Europe as they service older vehicle air conditioning systems,” said Richard Winick, Vice President and General Manager, Honeywell Automotive Refrigerants.

“As R-134a is phased out in the coming years, our Direct to YF retrofitting option directly addresses an urgent need in Europe and also highlights our commitment to supporting customers in the journey to net zero.”  

The five-step Direct to YF Retrofitting Program can easily be adopted by service garages because it uses existing service tools and equipment commonly found in automotive repair shops across Europe.

After removing the R-134a refrigerant, new permanent fittings are attached to a car’s HVAC system and Honeywell’s Solstice yf and a new oil/additive are then added. Each vehicle that completes the program then receives a new label attached under its hood to note that the retrofit has been completed.    

Since Honeywell’s development of Solstice yf more than a decade ago, demand and production capability for the refrigerant have increased around the world. Today, there are more than 200 million cars on the  road using Solstice yf. Solstice yf has prevented the release of more than 106 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere since its inception, comparable to the carbon sequestered by 123 million acres of U.S. forests in one year.