UFI continues campaign of in-vehicle air quality
UFI is continuing its awareness campaign of in-vehicle air quality, encouraging greater emphasis on cabin air filters – a category the company believes remains underappreciated, despite its impact on passenger wellbeing.
With increasing concern around allergens, fine particulate matter, and airborne contaminants, UFI is positioning its range of cabin-air filtration technologies as an aftermarket opportunity across passenger car, LCV, heavy-duty, and off-road applications.
Advanced filtration technologies
Drawing on more than 50 years of OE filtration expertise and ongoing development within its innovation centres, the company manufactures six proprietary FormulaUFI filter media technologies in-house.
Among the most prominent is ARGENTIUM, UFI’s premium antibacterial cabin filter technology. Manufactured using the company’s FormulaUFI.Stratiflex multilayer media, ARGENTIUM combines antimicrobial, adsorbent, and structural layers to deliver performance and air purification.
The filter incorporates Biomaster silver biocide technology, using silver particles to inhibit bacterial growth by up to 99%. In addition to capturing pollen, dust, brake, and tyre wear particles, ARGENTIUM is engineered to prevent the formation of fungi and mould while filtering harmful gases including sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Activated carbon within the filter structure also enables filtration efficiency exceeding 98.5 percent for particles measuring 2.5 microns, while helping eliminate odours and airborne pollutants. UFI states the antimicrobial performance remains effective for up to 12 months.
HEPA technology expands into the aftermarket
As electrification reshapes vehicle design, cabin filtration requirements are also evolving. UFI has responded by introducing High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters developed originally for BEVs.
Already available in the aftermarket for the Tesla Model Y, the company’s HEPA filters utilise medical-grade filtration media capable of removing 99.975 per cent of particles smaller than 0.3 microns.
This allows the filters to capture atmospheric particulates, fine dust, and a broad range of airborne bio-contaminants, including bacteria, spores, and viruses – an increasingly important selling point.
Growing range coverage
UFI has expanded its cabin filter offering, adding 36 new references during the past two years. The current range now includes:
- 161 ARGENTIUM filters
- HEPA filtration solutions for selected EV applications
- 400 anti-pollen filters
- 210 activated carbon filters
The company says its cabin-air programme will soon be supported by a dedicated catalogue featuring 772 part numbers, including:
- 637 references for cars and vans
- 80 for heavy-duty vehicles and buses
- 55 for off-road applications
Collectively, the range is said to cover around 95% of the European vehicle parc.
Opportunity for the aftermarket
Cabin air filtration continues to represent a strong service and upselling opportunity, particularly as consumers become more aware of health, hygiene, and in-car comfort.
With technologies, such as antibacterial filtration and HEPA-level air purification, now moving into the aftermarket, there is an opportunity to differentiate an offering beyond standard replacement filters and align with growing demand for premium cabin-air solutions.
