Assessment of the Thermal Performance of Tinted Vehicles Cabin and Its Implication for Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Mitigation

Abstract

Solar radiation penetrating vehicle cabins significantly increases interior temperatures, resulting
in thermal discomfort, increased cooling demand, and higher greenhouse gas emissions from
vehicle air-conditioning systems. This study assesses the thermal characteristics of tinted and
untinted vehicles and examines the implication of vehicle window tinting for energy consumption
and climate change mitigation. An experimental approach was adopted in which cabin
temperatures of vehicles with different window tint conditions were measured under identical
environmental conditions. Temperature measurements were conducted for five days using a
Generic HTC-2 digital thermometer on vehicles parked under direct solar radiation between
12:00 pm and 2:00 pm with engines turned off, windows closed, and no air-conditioning in
operation. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results show that
untinted vehicles recorded the highest average cabin temperature of approximately 60°C. In
contrast, vehicles fitted with dyed, carbon, and ceramic tint films recorded significantly lower
temperatures of 52°C, 48°C, and 42°C respectively. This represents an average temperature
reduction of about 18°C across tinted conditions, demonstrating the effectiveness of window
tinting in limiting solar heat penetration. Cooling time analysis further revealed that untinted
vehicles required longer air-conditioning operation (6.8 minutes) compared with tinted vehicles
(3.2 minutes), representing a reduction of approximately 53% in cooling time. These findings
indicate that window tinting substantially improves vehicle thermal performance and reduces
cooling energy demand. Reduced air-conditioning operation translates into lower fuel
consumption and decreased greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, widespread adoption of
heat-reducing window technologies has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through
reduced fuel consumption, contribute to climate change mitigation, energy efficiency, and
improved thermal comfort. The study highlights the need for innovative vehicle glazing
technologies capable of minimizing cabin heat gain while addressing regulatory concerns
associated with window tinting in Nigeria.