The Second Working Group Meeting of 2025 for the Joint Development Program on Alternative Technologies to Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) for Automotive Air Conditioning in China was successfully held in Haikou, Hainan Province on September 11, 2025. More than 40 representatives from vehicle manufacturers, air conditioning system suppliers, fluorochemical enterprises and relevant institutions attended the meeting.
Xing Tao, Technical Director of the Clean Energy Research Department of China Automotive Data Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "China Automotive Data"), attended the meeting, and Yu Rujie, Director of the Resource Development Office, presided over the session.
Meeting Scene
In the project introduction session, Ren Jiabao, an expert from China Automotive Data, reviewed the valuable achievements of the Joint Development Program Working Group in the comprehensive evaluation of alternative refrigerant systems over the past two years, and outlined the work plan for Phase II of the program from the perspectives of policies and regulations, current status of alternative technologies, and coordinated industrial development. Wang Chaoqian, another expert from China Automotive Data, introduced the Safety Assessment Plan for Flammable Refrigerants in Automotive Air Conditioning, elaborating on the progress and work plan for safety assessment of R290 and mixed refrigerants.
In the industry sharing session, an expert from Honeywell Performance Materials delivered a presentation entitled "R1234yf Development for Auto AC", systematically analyzing potential risk areas of air conditioning systems amid the R&D of flammable alternative refrigerants and detailing the development history of R1234yf in safety assessment. An air conditioning design expert from Seres Group presented a report titled "Research on Ultra-Low Temperature Environmentally Friendly Heat Pump Systems Based on New Refrigerants", expounding on the core research directions of mixed refrigerants and introducing Seres’ efforts in the R&D of mixed refrigerant systems. An expert from FAW Jiefang gave a presentation on "Development Progress of R290 Systems for Commercial Vehicles", reviewing the evolution of thermal management systems for commercial vehicles and introducing the development progress and plan of FAW Jiefang’s R290 air conditioning systems.
In the standard discussion session, Zhang Yong, an expert from China Automotive Data, presented the group standard Safety Technical Requirements for R290 Automotive Air Conditioning Systems. Attending experts conducted in-depth discussions on the standard’s framework, logic, text and technical details. The constructive comments and suggestions effectively improved the standard content and provided strong support for ensuring its scientific rigor and practical operability.
