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CO2 is an alternative to replace the conventional refrigerant (R134a) for the air-conditioning system, due to the high Global Warming Potential (GWP) of R134a. There are concerns with the use of CO2 as a refrigerant due to health risks associated with exposure to CO2, if the concentration of CO2 is over the acceptable threshold. For applications with CO2 as the refrigerant, the risk of CO2 exposure is increased due to the possibility of CO2 leakage into the cabin through the duct system; this CO2 is in addition to the CO2 generated from the respiration of the occupants. The initiation of the leak could be due to a crash event or a malfunction of the refrigerant system. In an automobile, where the interior cabin is a closed volume (with minimal venting), the increase in concentration can be detrimental to the customer but is hard to detect.

The B-COOL project, funded by the European Union, is devoted to the development of low cost and efficient R-744 system for small cars. In the framework of this initiative a Fiat Panda and a Ford Ka prototype have been realized adopting two different R-744 systems and a testing procedure has been identified and adopted to qualify the vehicles in terms of fuel consumption and thermal comfort performance. The Project started in March 2005 and ended in November 2008, this paper presents the major project outcomes on R-744 mobile air conditioning systems (efficiency and related fuel consumption and LCCP, costs, architecture) synthesizing the remaining technology open issues