Jaguar Land Rover’s has claimed that future cabin air purification technology has been shown in laboratory tests to inhibit viruses and airborne bacteria by as much as 97 per cent. According to a release by the company, the new prototype heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system uses Panasonic’s nanoe X technology to inhibit harmful bacteria and viruses. JLR claims that the new tech will help the cabins of future Jaguar and Land Rover models to deliver a unique customer experience.
Jaguar Land Rover partnered with Perfectus Biomed Ltd, a microbiology and virology lab, to perform the laboratory-based sealed-chamber test designed to simulate a vehicle ventilation system in recirculation mode over a 30-minute cycle. The official release states that the independent research showed that viruses and bacteria were inhibited by as much as 97 per cent.
Panasonic’s innovative nanoe X technology has also been tested on novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) by Texcell, a research organization that specializes in viral testing and immune profiling, and is one of the laboratories in the world with permission to test against novel coronavirus. It found more than 99.995 per cent of the virus was inhibited during the two-hour laboratory test.
Dr Steve Iley, Jaguar Land Rover’s Chief Medical Officer, said: “Our customers’ wellbeing is of paramount importance to us – and now, more than ever, we are all looking for technological solutions that can help take care of our loved ones. The independent research, developed and commissioned by our expert engineers, is just one of the ways we are working to assure our customers that harmful pathogens are being minimized, providing a cleaner environment for passengers inside the cabin and setting new standards in the ownership experience.”
To provide active air purification the nanoe X technology uses a high voltage to create trillions of Hydroxyl (OH) Radicals enveloped in nano-sized water molecules. These OH Radicals denature the virus and bacteria proteins, helping inhibit their growth. The OH Radicals deodorize and inhibit allergens in a similar way to create a cleaner air environment for customers.
Alexander Owen, Research Engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “This technology is a great example of being able to harness the power of nature and puts Jaguar Land Rover right at the forefront of this cabin technology. Hydroxyl Radicals are one of the most important natural oxidants in chemistry and have been helping to clean our atmosphere for millennia, removing pollutants and other harmful substances. The creation of this technology and our advanced research is the first step in deploying this scientific phenomenon within vehicle cabins of the future.”