UFI launches anti-viral air filter with Chinese team behind

Italy’s UFI Filters Group launched an air filter on Monday to combat viruses and bacteria in vehicles.

UFI said its SOFIMA D-FEND antiviral high-efficient cabin air filter was proposed by its research and development team in China and will be used in cars for the Chinese market. It will be launched in Italy in the following months.

Luca Betti, the company’s aftermarket business unit director said the product offers a clear improvement in the quality of the air and increased protection inside vehicles. 

The company said the filter has copper and silver embedded in its fibers. Those metals, it said, work by attacking viruses. It claims the filter is effective against viruses in the the corona family that cause type A influenza and SARS. 

UFI said it is also highly efficient in protecting against pollutants such as PM2.5 and PM10, pollen, odors and poisonous gases, leaving the air inside a vehicle clean and healthy.

"China is the first country to recover from the pandemic and restarted business and is coming back to a normal life. This is being done with all the necessary preventive measures, that’s why we have decided to unveil our product first here in China," said Simone Trazzi, chief operating officer for the Asia-Pacific region.

Autoparts makers in China are incorporating products and technologies in vehicles aimed at keeping cars virus-free.

Air filter systems, antibacterial fabrics and ultraviolet technology are being adopted in a bid to guarantee car owners' health and provide them with a clean interior environment.

Hawking Zhang, APAC aftermarket director of UFI Filters Group, said that for antiviral cabin air filter market in China, the effectiveness of antiviral and air filtration function are both very important. It is suggested to see the overall performance of the product from a variety of technical perspectives.