GAC NIO powers HYCAN 007 BEVs with HEPA air filter for greater indoor air quality

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- HYCAN, the young BEV brand jointly created by GAC Group and NIO, has powered its first mass-produced model “HYCAN 007” with the HEPA air filter and several cutting-edge air purification technologies, joining the growing list of automakers which work on R&D of innovative technologies and products to improve a car's indoor quality.

(Photo source: HYCAN)

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air, a straightforward phrase for a filter that can remove over 95% of particles in air as small as 0.3 microns, which covers a vast number of airborne contaminants. GAC NIO said this is the highest-level air conditioning filter now sold on the market.

Aside from HEPA, the HYCAN 007 is also outfitted with the PM2.5 filter, which is located at the air intake, the only entrance for air when doors, windows and the sunroof are all closed. According to the automaker, most of fine particles will be intercepted by the double-layer melt-blown nonwovens when they are trying to enter the car. Besides, the built-in sensor alerts the substandard indoor air quality at all times.

Moreover, the negative ion generator is another practical tool to improve breath quality for HYCAN 007’s owners. By discharging high-voltage electrical currents into the air, the generator releases negative ions that attach themselves to dust and dirt, so as to prevent microorganisms and viruses from reproducing.

Furthermore, the in-car air quality sensors are able to detect in real time the surrounding air pollutants like carbon monoxides, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, and decide whether to switch on/off the air-conditioning damper for internal and external air circulation, so as to protect occupants from being harmed by airborne pollutants outside the car.

（Photo source: Geely Auto)

Another OEM that draws a lot of public attention with the air filter tech is Geely. In early Feb., Geely Automobile said all of its future vehicles will be equipped with Geely's G-Clean Intelligent Air Purification System (IAPS), a new system that is able to automatically filter out harmful particulates from the vehicles internal air environment.

The company added that the vehicles equipped with the IAPS system will adopt an advanced new active carbon chemical filter that can effectively absorb harmful gases and filter out irritating odor and harmful pollutants once they are detected by the automatic system. Moreover, the IAPS is also equipped with a negative ion generator that is able to sterilize and deodorize in vehicle pollutants and aim to remove in airborne viruses, bacteria, fungi, and molds, etc, achieving the same level of air filter as an N95 respiration system.

The R&D is carried out under the Geely Healthy Car program, in which Geely would move to invest RMB 370 million.

(Photo source: Geely Auto's WeChat account)

A significant breakthrough under the project was announced on Feb. 17. Geely said the industry's first “CN95” air-conditioning filter, the automotive-grade filter that meets the protection standard equivalent to N95 surgical mask, has been developed and put into mass production. The latest technical product has been introduced across the entire lineup of the ICON, Geely's second BMA-based SUV that went on sale on Feb. 24.