| Air Conditioning Optimised aerodynamics and a good all-round view call for large, angled glass areas. Even when there is only a little incoming sunlight, heat builds up inside the car. As much cool air as possible is therefore necessary. A pleasant temperature level equivalent to room temperature can only be achieved with air conditioning. The air conditioning system essentially consists of cooling system, heating, humidity controller and blower unit. It complements the heating and ventilation system in a vehicle. An air conditioning system does not produce cold air but works according to the principle of a heat pump as in a refrigerator. In simple terms, the air is directed through an evaporator, where it loses its heat to the refrigerant. The cooled and dried air is then blown into the interior. A compressor cools the refrigerant down to the required temperature. Some systems, such as in the Volkswagen Golf, feature an externally regulated compressor with an evaporator temperature which can be regulated between 2 and 12 °C. This ensures that the air is not dehumidified any more than is necessary, meaning that the amount of energy required, and therefore fuel consumption, is reduced. Volkswagen offers both a semi-automatic "Climatic" air conditioning system and "Climatronic" automatic air conditioning for its cars. All air conditioning systems in Volkswagen models are environmentally friendly and do not use refrigerants containing CFCs. |
