Automotive Solar Heat Control
Kriya ATO (antimony tin oxide) nanoparticles block near-infrared solar radiation while maintaining full visible transparency. The result: cooler cabins, lower AC loads, extended EV range, and reduced CO2 penalties.
Where Kriya sits in the automotive glazing stack
Automotive glazing is a laminated structure: two sheets of glass bonded by a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer. In a solar heat control configuration, NIR-absorbing nanoparticles are embedded in the PVB interlayer, applied as a film on the glass inner surface, or coated directly via sol-gel.
Kriya’s ATO nanoparticles absorb near-infrared radiation — the portion of sunlight that heats the cabin — while transmitting visible light and maintaining full transparency to 5G, RF, and LiDAR signals.
Solar radiation reaching a vehicle interior comprises roughly 53% near-infrared (780–2500 nm), 44% visible (380–780 nm), and 3% ultraviolet. NIR-selective absorbers block the heat-carrying wavelengths while preserving cabin aesthetics and visibility.
| Layer | Refractive index | Kriya material | Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior (air) | No | N/A | |
| Windshield outer glass | 1.52 | No | N/A |
| PVB interlayer + ATO nanoparticles | Yes | KM-701 | |
| Windshield inner glass | 1.52 | No | N/A |
| Interior (cabin) | No | N/A |
The bottom-up synthesis advantage
Kriya synthesises ATO from atoms up through proprietary chemistry. Most competitors ball-mill bulk ATO down to nano size (top-down). This top-down approach produces irregular particle shapes and broad size distributions. The measured consequence:
Haze of 0.2–0.3% validated by a Tier-1 PVB interlayer partner in lamination trials with 2.0 mm green glass — the only samples passing the partner’s automotive-grade haze threshold.
Haze after lamination
vs >1.7% (competitor)
Effectiveness at equal SHGC vs incumbent Japanese supplier
vs 1x (baseline) (competitor)
Cost vs incumbent Japanese supplier
vs Comparable to ITO (competitor)
5G/RF/LiDAR transparency
vs 100% (competitor)
Haze below 0.3% meets automotive-grade optical clarity. Haze above 1.7% does not. This is the critical threshold that bottom-up synthesis crosses and top-down milling cannot.
Three delivery systems
PVB masterbatch
ATO nanoparticles pre-dispersed in PVB-compatible masterbatch for direct addition during interlayer extrusion. The mass-market pathway — the interlayer manufacturer adds Kriya’s masterbatch to their existing process. Zero CAPEX at the customer plant.
Window film
ATO-loaded film applied to glass surfaces. Suitable for aftermarket retrofits and fleet upgrades. Enables solar heat control without changes to the OEM glazing supply chain.
Sol-gel direct coating
ATO nanoparticles deposited directly on glass via sol-gel. The lightest integration — no additional layer mass. Suitable for weight-sensitive applications and lightweight vehicle architectures.
Quantified impact: Calculation Model 887
Validated against Grundstein et al. field measurements (r² = 0.999). Reference conditions: 28 °C ambient, 600 W/m² solar radiation.
Cabin thermal performance
EV range extension
Premium EV segment
Avg 85.6 kWh battery, 442 km WLTP. Battery saving ~EUR 325.
Compact EV segment
Avg 39.3 kWh battery, 227 km WLTP. Battery saving ~EUR 159.
EU CO₂ penalty context
EU Regulation 2019/631 (amended by 2023/851) imposes penalties of EUR 95 per g CO₂/km per vehicle above the fleet-average target.* Industry-wide penalty exposure is estimated at up to EUR 16 billion** under the 2025 targets (according to ACEA and Transport & Environment analyses). For volume manufacturers registering 800,000 or more vehicles in the EU, every single gram of fleet-average reduction avoids approximately EUR 76 million*** in annual penalties.
The EU Commission has granted a 3-year compliance averaging window (2025–2027), allowing penalties to be calculated on average fleet performance across the period. However, this does not reduce total exposure — it spreads the financial impact but does not eliminate it. OEMs that remain above target throughout 2025–2027 face the same cumulative penalties. By 2030, with the target dropping to 49.5 g/km (−55% vs 2021), even hybrid-heavy fleets cannot comply without every available efficiency measure.
| Period | Target | Reduction vs 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025–2029 | 93.6 g CO₂/km | -15% |
| 2030–2034 | 49.5 g CO₂/km | -55% |
| 2035+ | 0 g CO₂/km | -100% |
Penalty scale
Illustrative exposure for a major OEM fleet (approximately 800,000 EU registrations):
2025 scenario
Fleet avg ~105 g/km, target 93.6 g/km, gap ~11 g/km
~EUR 836M2030 scenario
Fleet avg ~80 g/km, target 49.5 g/km, gap ~30 g/km
~EUR 2.28BRule of thumb: every 1 g/km fleet-average reduction over 800,000 vehicles avoids approximately EUR 76 million in penalties.
Illustrative figures based on published 2023-2024 fleet trajectories and EU regulation parameters. Actual penalties depend on full fleet composition, pooling, and manufacturer-specific targets.
Eco-innovation credit pathway
EU Regulation 2019/631 Article 12 allows manufacturers to claim eco-innovation credits for technologies that reduce real-world CO₂ emissions but are not captured by the WLTP test cycle. Since WLTP is run with AC off, AC efficiency improvements from solar control glazing are invisible to type-approval — making them eligible.
Preliminary estimates suggest 2–4 g/km credit potential for solar control glazing.**** At 800,000 vehicles, a 2 g/km credit translates to EUR 152 million in avoided penalties annually per manufacturer.
Previously approved eco-innovations include efficient mobile air conditioning systems and solar-powered ventilation — directly analogous to ATO solar control glazing. Maximum credit available: up to 7 g/km per vehicle until 2029.****
Application pathway
NIR performance data
Sources & disclaimers
- * EUR 95/g CO₂/km penalty — Source: EU Regulation 2019/631.
- ** Up to EUR 16B industry-wide exposure — Source: ACEA / Transport & Environment analysis.
- *** EUR 76M avoided per 1 g/km — Based upon Calculation Model 887.
- **** 2-4 g/km eco-innovation credit, up to 7 g/km max until 2029 — Source: EU Regulation 2019/631, Article 12.
- Cabin temperature reduction, AC power reduction, EUR 76M avoided, and EUR 16B exposure figures are based upon Calculation Model 887.
Interested in ATO for your vehicle platform?
Our automotive team can provide application-specific data, lamination samples, and access to Calculation Model 887.