Luxury car companies keep it cool inside with advanced glass coatings
advanced glass coatings to keep vehicle cabins cool, alleviating the air-conditioning load as summer sweeps India, sending temperatures past 45°C in some cities. The push comes as vehicle sizes, glass surface areas and thermal loads grow with the shift toward larger vehicles such as SUVs and electric models requiring increased battery pack space. With glass typically comprising 25-30% of a vehicle's surface area, and that percentage rising consistently with increased sunroof adoption, moderating the sun’s fierce heat with glazing is becoming critical, car makers said.
Over the past few years, average windshield area has increased 8% and total glass surface is up 12% as cars have become bigger, according to Jato Dynamics estimates. Automotive glass suppliers have developed specialised solar-reflective coatings incorporating ultra-thin layers of metal oxides such as silver, zinc and tin. These transparent metallised coatings absorb solar infrared radiation to reduce interior temperatures. Amid rising global temperatures, the role of advanced glass coatings is a must-have solution to beat the searing summer heat. Their widespread adoption aligns with vehicle electrification and enhanced safety features, said experts.
Luxury car makers such as Mercedes, Audi, Volvo, BMW have been prioritising these thermally insulated glass technologies. Leading suppliers like Asahi, Saint-Gobain and Webasto offer specialised automotive glazing products.
Mercedes equips select top-end models such as the EQS 580 sedan, GLS SUV,
