The first car offered with factory air conditioning was the Packard, around the 1940 model year. Its system filled much of the trunk and could not be switched off easily. In 1954, Nash introduced a compact, integrated heating and cooling system, and in 1964 Cadillac offered automatic climate control. Air conditioning spread rapidly from the 1960s onward and became nearly universal in American cars. Today, luxury cars offer multi-zone climate control that lets every passenger choose their own temperature.

Timeline

Year Milestone
c. 1940 Packard offers factory air conditioning
1954 Nash integrated heating and A/C
1964 Cadillac automatic climate control
1990s Switch from R-12 to R-134a refrigerant
2010s Transition to lower-impact refrigerants

Packard’s pioneer

Packard’s system used a large evaporator in the trunk. With no compressor clutch, the only way to stop the cooling was to stop the engine or remove the drive belt. It was expensive and few were sold, but it proved the idea.

Making it practical

After the war, Nash’s integrated All-Weather Eye system combined heating and cooling in a compact unit under the dashboard. Other manufacturers followed, and by the 1970s air conditioning was a common option.

Automatic climate control

Cadillac’s Comfort Control of 1964 maintained a set temperature automatically — the ancestor of today’s climate systems.

Refrigerants and the environment

Early systems used R-12 (Freon), which damages the ozone layer. Cars switched to R-134a in the 1990s and are now moving to refrigerants with lower global warming potential.

Climate control in a chauffeured car

Modern luxury vehicles have separate rear climate zones, heated and ventilated seats, and cabin air filtration. Your chauffeur will pre-cool or pre-heat the car before pickup. Read cabin air filtration and HEPA and what to expect from a professional chauffeur.