Hanon Systems, a global automotive thermal energy management solution company based in Korea, announced on Jan. 24 that its cumulative production of R744 electric compressors utilizing eco-friendly refrigerants has exceeded 500,000 units.
The company produces eCompressors utilizing R744 at its Palmela plant for automotive compressors in Portugal and is supplying parts for the MEB platform for Volkswagen Group’s electric vehicles.
R744, also known as carbon dioxide (CO₂), is an environmentally friendly refrigerant with global warming potential (GWP) of just one, making it a popular alternative to traditional refrigerants. It is also characterized by high thermal efficiency when used in heat pump systems, which are considered a mainstream technology for electric vehicle applications.
Hanon Systems has decades of experience in thermal management solutions utilizing refrigerants. In addition to the R744 solution, the company also has technologies for R290 (propane), known as a new green refrigerant alternative, as well as technologies utilizing R134a and R1234yf, which are traditional refrigerants.
Meanwhile, Hanon Systems’ Palmela plant in Portugal started with mechanical compressors in 1988 and produced its first electric compressor in 2009. In 2018, the plant added a two-story, 10,000-square-foot building to increase production capacity to meet growing demand for electric compressors. The Palmela plant is located in the Portuguese province of Sutubal, about 25 kilometers south of Lisbon, so it is close to the capital.