Automotive thermal management supplier Hanon Systems has announced that it has produced more than 1 million CO2 (R744) electric compressors for electric vehicles (EVs).
The company has produced CO2 e-compressors at its factory in Palmela, Portugal, since 2019. The compressors are supplied to Volkswagen for its MEB platform, which the ID model range and a number of the company’s other EVs are built on. The e-compressors are used in VW’s thermal management system built around a CO2 heat pump. Heat pumps play a key role in EVs as they not only provide cabin heating and cooling but also battery temperature regulation.
“Surpassing 1 million units in R744 electric compressor production is a testament to our leadership in eco-friendly technology and marks a significant milestone in our commitment to a sustainable future,” said Soo-il Lee, Vice Chairman and CEO of Hanon Systems, in a press release. “As part of the Hankook & Company Group, we benefit from collective innovation that makes achievements like this possible.”
Production of Hanon System’s CO2 e-compressor has increased sharply in recent years; the automotive supplier announced in January 2024 that it had produced its 500,000th unit. Since then Volkswagen has revealed plans to equip all of its battery electric vehicles – which include hybrid models – with R744-based thermal management systems by 2030, citing concerns around PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
Along with CO2, Hanon Systems also offers components for propane- (R290) based EV thermal management systems, including a thermal management module and an R290 e-compressor. Propane for EVs was a major topic of discussion at the recent IAA Mobility 2025 automotive trade show in Munich, where suppliers ZF and Nidec AMEC both showed off thermal management modules for R290.
Efficiency gains
Along with R744 being a PFAS-free refrigerant, Volkswagen has previously touted the efficiency gains in its EVs equipped with CO2 heat pumps. The automaker noted that the power required for cabin heating at an ambient temperature of less than 0°C (32°F) is up to 40% less than in a vehicle “without an energy-efficient heat pump.” Sanden International, another automotive thermal management supplier, has estimated that CO2 can increase the range of EVs by up to 38%.
The latest research and market developments in natural refrigerants for mobile air-conditioning (MAC) technology will be presented at the ATMO MAC Summit 2025 × TU Berlin, which will be held September 23 in Berlin. Hanon Systems will speak at the event, which will also include presentations from Ford and Volkswagen, among many others.
“Surpassing 1 million units in R744 electric compressor production is a testament to our leadership in eco-friendly technology and marks a significant milestone in our commitment to a sustainable future.”
Soo-il Lee, Vice Chairman and CEO of Hanon Systems
