The disagreement between the European Auto industry and Daimler continues to simmer. The latest is announcement of results by Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) comes after France banned the sale of most of Daimler's new model Mercedes cars using the older refrigerant (HFC-134a), saying it did not meet new European environmental standards.

In the latest war of words one side is quoting from the KBA report "Due to the comparisons with the previous refrigerant 134a in Stage 3, one can ascertain that the safety level of cars tends to deteriorate when 1234yf is used,".

Others tout, from the same report, "No sufficient proof was found with the cars tested that would have hardened the suspicion of a serious danger as defined by the product safety law,".

Daimler said the KBA report confirmed the automaker's decision to continue using older refrigerants while the firm develops systems that use non-flammable carbon dioxide as a coolant.

Carmakers areso concerned about the KBA report that they have asked the European Union to intervene and review the findings in order to guarantee impartiality

The conclusion " it possesses an increased fire risk during certain types of head-collisions - is more hazardous than the old one, but it doesn't comprise a serious danger".

We have not heard the end of this epic battle as human safety is being weighed against environmental safety.

Editor's Note: CR4 would like to thank Larry Butz of GEA Consulting for contributing this blog entry.