With concerns mounting about emissions from vehicle air conditioning systems, both Daimler and Volkswagen have moved swiftly to put new prototypes into action.
The Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper has reported on the development of a prototype by Daimler.
Lab testing is already underway on the prototype mobile air conditioning system which utilises CO2 as a coolant.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen is developing a CO2MAC system: but testing has not yet begun.
CO2 is seen as a low global warming coolant that offers a legitimate alternative to HFO-1234yf.
The industry created three alternatives: R744 (CO2), R152a and HFO-1234yf.
However, Daimler has objected to the use of HFO-1234yf claiming it isn't safe.
Meanwhile, Arab News has reported that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has seized 40,000 air conditioners for failing to meet energy saving requirements.
The ministry has been inspecting stores to check whether they are selling air conditioners with energy efficiency labels.
The ministry’s teams confiscated 25,413 air conditioners of various models and sizes, including split-type air conditioners, of which 5,083 did not feature energy efficiency labels and 20,330 were less than the recommended four-star grade for air conditioning systems.