Honda has released a new antiviral product which they claim will eliminate 99.8% of airborne virus droplets within 15 minutes, simply by turning on the air conditioning.
The ‘Kurumask’ – which literally translates as ‘car mask’ – which was released on Christmas day, utilises a zinc phosphate chemical conversion treatment, which is also used to prevent rust on vehicle chassis. According to Honda, the Kurumask catches virus droplets with its special microscopic spiked surface, reduces their shape, and irreparably damages them in that process.
In testing paid for by Honda, the Kurumask was fitted to the cabin filter of an N-Box, set to air-recirculation mode, and it managed to kill-off 99.8 percent of airborne E.coli molecules in just 15 minutes, that number then increased to 99.9 percent after a 24 hour period.
The Kurumask filter will be installed in the new Honda N-Box models – the N-Box being the best selling car in Japan – as a ‘highly versatile product’ that can be retrofitted to the air conditioning filter and will be gradually expanded to other models.
The mask should last about a year or about 9,000 miles and will retail at about £45 plus labour costs.
Keyword: Honda launches antiviral 'mask' for your car