According to Swedish car maker Volvo, car owners may soon be able to reduce smog by driving. The company has announced that its new S80 luxury sedans will feature a new radiator that will actually “eat” ozone, thanks to a special coating called Premair™.
As air passes through the specially coated radiator, ozone, a prime component of smog, is converted into oxygen. The company claims that on hot days, when ozone levels are normally highest, the radiator will actually eat more ozone than would be created by a modern, catalytic-convertor-equipped car. In other words, the more the car is driven, the cleaner the air becomes.
If such radiators come into widespread use, they could cause a major rethinking of such vehicle emission controls as testing and oxygenated gasoline.
The cars, developed by the Engelhard Corporation, are expected in showrooms this month.
