Which refrigerant does my car use, and why does the recharge price differ?

EPA lists R-134a at a global warming potential of 1,430 and R-1234yf at 4, and cars switched from R-134a to R-1234yf starting in 2012, with the AIM Act capping new light-duty cars at a GWP of 150 from model year 2025 while existing cars can still be serviced with R-134a.

Car air-conditioning refrigerants: global warming potential, whether the gas depletes ozone, and when cars switched

What it shows: CFC-12 (R-12) is the largest at 10,900, followed by HFC-134a (R-134a) at 1,430; the smallest shown is HFO-1234yf (R-1234yf) at 4.

Source: U.S. EPA: Acceptable Refrigerants and their Impacts; Technology Transitions HFC Restrictions by Sector (AIM Act) · data from 2025

Data and chart by CalcScrape: Car AC Recharge Cost Calculator