May 13, 2022 Honeywell Introduces Refrigerant in Europe

What does the industry do for the more than 200 million existing cars on the road in Europe that already use R-134A? Enter Solstice R456A.

• Non-ozone depleting, low-GWP Solstice® 456A refrigerant provides retrofit solution to replace R-134A in older vehicles
• Solstice® 456A refrigerant expands impact of Honeywell’s Solstice portfolio

MORRIS PLAINS, N.J. – Honeywell today announced a new hydrofluoroolefin (HFO)-based refrigerant for the European automotive aftermarket that has the potential to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions footprint of air conditioning systems in existing vehicles by more than 50%. Solstice® 456A provides an easy-to-use, economical, drop-in service solution for vehicles manufactured before 2017. It has similar performance to R-134A, helping to meet the needs of vehicle owners and auto repair shops amid ongoing climate-related legislation from the EU.

“With more than 200 million cars on the roads in Europe still using R-134A, there is a need in the market for a sustainable and economical product to support auto repair shops servicing these vehicles,” said Rick Winick, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Automotive Refrigerants. “Solstice 456A is an ASHRAE A1-classified, nonflammable, easy-to-use refrigerant that can easily be adopted to work with existing AC service machines and tools.”  

Solstice 456A will be commercially available to the European automotive aftermarket later this year.

Honeywell has invested a billion dollars in research, development and new capacity for its Solstice technology, having anticipated the need for lower-GWP solutions to combat climate change more than a decade ago. The product line, which helps customers lower their greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency without sacrificing end-product performance, includes refrigerants for supermarkets, air conditioning for cars and trucks, blowing agents for insulation, propellants for personal and household care and solvents for cleaning solutions.

Customers utilizing Solstice technology have avoided potential release of the equivalent of more than 260 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, equal to eliminating the potential emissions from more than 56 million cars for one year.

About Honeywell
Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry-specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.

Subscribe to Industry Today