How Chevrolet Makes Sure You Stay Cool During Summer

The hot dry season started early this year, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). Moreover, summer temperatures in Southeast Asia are forecast to be hotter than normal this year, according to the ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Centre (ASMC).

Now, think about how hot the interior of your car could feel.

Researchers in America found that if a car sits parked in the sun on a hot day, the interior temperature can reach 46-degrees Celsius and the dashboard may exceed 73-degrees Celsius--hot enough to be fatal for vulnerable occupants such as small children or family pets. Even when outside temperatures are mild, experts say car interiors can heat up to dangerous levels, making it imperative to never leave a person or pet inside a closed car without the air conditioning on.

Chevrolet customers in the Philippines don't have to take the heat because remote start technology available on the Colorado pickup truck and the Trailblazer SUV allows them to start the engine using the key fob, enabling automatic air conditioning to cool the cabin to a pre-set temperature before they get in.

Chevrolet's A/C systems are designed to cool down to a comfortable temperature in just a few minutes, with ventilation to all seating rows. The remote start key fob can also open all windows for quick ventilation and quicker cool down.

With remote start, if someone needs to make a quick stop--such as to buy a cold drink--the user can simply lock the Trailblazer or Colorado's doors from outside and let the engine and air conditioning run for the safety and comfort of the other occupants.

Chevrolet customers stay cool and comfortable even on the hottest days because General Motors Global Product Development engineers test vehicle air-con systems in external temperatures up to 46-degrees Celsius to assure reliable system performance.

"By testing against high heat, we help ensure that Colorado and Trailblazer customers living in hot places like Southeast Asia will have reliable air-con every time they turn it on," said Chatchawan Chantaket, general director of Product Engineering, GM Southeast Asia.

Thermal testing of air-con systems typically requires driving test vehicles for thousands of miles in both real world and simulated environments. Engineers conduct these tests at GM's Desert Proving Grounds in Yuma, Arizona, USA, where summer temperatures reach 42-degreees Celsius, and in GM’s climatic test laboratories at even higher temperatures.

In both real world and laboratory environments, vehicles are subjected to high 'solar load'--the heat generated from maximum exposure to sunlight. Then, GM test engineers drive the vehicles at a steady speed to ensure the air-con is capable of cooling the interior to a comfortable temperature within minutes.

According to experts, light-colored vehicles--interior and exterior--typically cool down more quickly than dark-colored vehicles because darker colors absorb more heat from sunlight than lighter colors. As a result, light-colored vehicles can be about 5-degreees Celsius cooler than dark-colored vehicles when subjected to the same amount of solar load.

Additionally, tinted glass can help reduce heat load inside vehicles by nearly 80 percent. Customers should ask the Chevrolet dealers about this option at the time of purchase.

To learn more about Chevrolet products and services in the Philippines, log on to www.chevrolet.com.ph, like the Chevrolet Philippines Facebook page, or follow the Chevrolet Philippines Instagram page.