MB banned by the EU?

[coxyhog]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...-selling-new-Mercedes-in-EU-moves-closer.html

 

[television]

This was put up last week, I think that they will stick to their guns on this

 

[brandwooddixon]

This has been doing the rounds for a while now.

It all centres around the fact that the new coolant is propane based, which MB, understandably, say is a fire risk, especially in an accident.

They had been developing a version based on carbon dioxide in house.

The daft thing is that the current coolant was developed as it was more friendly to the ozone layer and now its being replaced due to its potential affect on global warming (a science that has largely been discredited of late).

Will they be insisting that all domestic fridge freezers use the same stuff? Bad enough with Beko fridges catching fire as it is without adding fuel to the fire, so to speak.

 

[drdre78]

hi if you own new A class with the old aircon gas you are winner cos the new gas is very expensive.About £1000

 

[Corned]

Will they be insisting that all domestic fridge freezers use the same stuff?

No - because they don't need to. Being properly sealed systems (no rubber o-rings etc), there is no chance of leaking to atmosphere unless physically damaged.

Or in other words - how long do cars go between being needing to be re-gassed?

And now, when did you last take your fridge in for a re-gas?

 

[st4]

How does this affect cars with the existing non flammable gas?

 

[hotrodder]

It doesn't, at least yet.

This is about new cars/type approval only and (very generally with tongue firmly in cheek) probably as much about money/backhanders as the environment/safety... AFAIK everyone was happy enough with R12 despite it being chlorinated and so able to decompose into phosgene (WW1 chemical weapon). It was replaced when CFCs where phased out. R134a is effectively non flammable but can still decompose if heated by contact with hot surfaces/a fire releasing hydrogen fluoride amongst others. The new stuff does this too but is combustable at lower temps and is apparently many times more expensive... the last bit might have something to do with Honeywell/Dupont patenting it (or at least trying to) or might just be because it's new i.e. price will come either with time or when the Chinese start counterfeiting it

R1234yf crash testing... http://www.r744.com/assets/link/obrist_paper.pdf

 

[Roxie]

I don't think that Mercedes are not using the new R1234yf gas because of cost, after all they would simply pass the cost onto the end user.

I do however know that they have produced cars with this new gas installed and consequentially have recalled all of these cars to have the gas replaced with R134.

Also that they have done this and paid for it to be done, reportedly as a safety concern because the new gas is 10% Propane and therefore combustible.

This is not to say that there is other political motives for this decision or copyright problems. (how would I know?)

Another point raised is what will happen to cars with R134 in the future. The answer to this is still open but as I understand it the R1234yf is compatible with these systems and this is why it has been rushed through approval.
Also both old cars and new will be affected by the fact that no new R134 will ever be produced because it is now illegal to do so, as a result of this all currently available R134 is reclaimed and limited supply will soon be a factor.

This is another problem caused by new laws and legislation pushing deadlines ahead of development, and it looks like we will end up with something that will do rather than something that ticks all the boxes and works better than before at a fraction of the cost.