What year did they stop using R134a refrigerant?
There isn’t a single global year when R134a stopped being used. The transition occurred gradually during the 2010s, with most new passenger cars switching to the lower-GWP refrigerant R-1234yf by about 2017–2018. Older vehicles and many non-automotive applications still rely on R134a, subject to regional regulations and stock.
Timeline: shift in automotive air conditioning
Below is a regional snapshot of when new vehicles moved away from R134a to safer alternatives.
- European Union: The EU accelerated replacement of R134a in new automotive A/C systems with R-1234yf during the 2010s; by model year 2017–2018, the majority of new cars in the EU used 1234yf, while R134a remained in older vehicles.
- United States: The U.S. EPA’s SNAP program approved R-1234yf as a replacement for R134a in mobile A/C, and by the late 2010s most new light-duty vehicles used 1234yf.
- Other regions (Japan, Korea, China, etc.): Similar transitions occurred in the mid-to-late 2010s, with timelines varying by country and OEM.
Conclusion: While new-car production largely moved to 1234yf in the late 2010s, R134a remains in service in older vehicles and in many non-automotive applications, governed by regulatory requirements and servicing practices.
Non-automotive uses and regulatory landscape
R134a continues to be used in existing equipment and in some refrigeration and HVAC applications, but its production and use are tightly regulated worldwide to curb greenhouse-gas emissions. The industry is increasingly oriented toward low-GWP refrigerants and strict recovery and leak-management rules.
- European Union: F-Gas Regulation and phased-down quotas reduce high-GWP refrigerants, with strong emphasis on alternatives and mandatory servicing recovery.
- United States: SNAP and related rules guide the phasedown of high-GWP HFCs and promote alternatives; R134a is being phased down in many new equipment categories, especially mobile A/C.
- Global: The Montreal Protocol and its amendments continue to push reductions in HFCs, accelerating the adoption of low-GWP refrigerants worldwide.
Conclusion: The shift away from R134a is ongoing. While new equipment often uses 1234yf or other low-GWP refrigerants, legacy systems will require maintenance and proper refrigerant handling for years to come.
Summary
In short, there is no single year that marks a universal end to R134a use. The automotive industry moved away from R134a in the 2010s, with most new vehicles in major markets adopting R-1234yf by the late 2010s. R134a remains in older vehicles and certain non-automotive applications, but regulatory pressure continues to reduce its role in new equipment.
