Bosch Debuts First R290 Air Conditioner and New Heat Pump at IFA

Bosch’s Home Comfort Group used IFA 2026 in Berlin to launch a high-temperature heat pump and its first single-split air conditioner built entirely around the natural refrigerant R290, the company said in a press release published 1 September 2026. The Compress 8800i AW heat pump reaches flow temperatures of up to 75 degrees Celsius, and the Climate 6000iP is Bosch’s first split air conditioner designed from the ground up for R290 rather than a synthetic refrigerant.

Both launches point at the same practical problem: European households replacing gas or oil heating, or adding cooling, without ripping out radiators or accepting a refrigerant with a heavy climate footprint.

What does the Compress 8800i AW actually do?

The Compress 8800i AW is an air-to-water heat pump aimed at retrofits. Bosch states it delivers flow temperatures up to 75°C and heating power up to 15 kW, sold in three power sizes spanning 11 to 15 kW measured at the A-7/W55 test condition (minus 7°C outside air, 55°C water flow), a standard the industry uses to compare heat pump output in cold-weather, high-temperature-demand conditions. Bosch rates the unit at energy efficiency class A+++ at 55°C.

The 75°C ceiling is the headline figure for a shopper with an older house. Many heat pumps top out around 55 to 65°C, which works well with underfloor heating or oversized radiators but can leave a room short of warmth on the coldest days if the home still has its original, smaller radiators. Bosch is marketing the 8800i AW specifically as a way to swap out a gas or oil boiler in a single-family home or apartment building while keeping the radiators already on the walls, avoiding the cost of a parallel heating-system overhaul.

The refrigerant is R290, or propane, which Bosch states has a global warming potential (GWP) of 0.02. That compares with GWP values in the thousands for some of the synthetic HFC refrigerants still used in older heat pump and air conditioning equipment, a gap that matters because the EU’s F-gas Regulation is progressively restricting high-GWP refrigerants across the heating and cooling industry.

Why does Bosch’s first R290 split air conditioner matter?

The Climate 6000iP marks Bosch Home Comfort Group’s entry into single-split residential air conditioning with a system built around R290 from the start, rather than a conversion of an existing HFC-based line. Bosch’s release did not disclose cooling capacity, room-size guidance, or a price for the Climate 6000iP, so shoppers cannot yet size it against a specific room or compare it directly to existing split-AC options.

Bosch also highlighted its Air 4000 air purifier in the same release, noting it has repeatedly been rated a top product by German consumer testing organization Stiftung Warentest, which Bosch says praised its quiet operation and low power consumption. That is an existing product being re-promoted at the show rather than a new launch.

What changes for households that already have a Bosch heat pump?

Bosch used the same announcement to detail new smart-home integration: its Smart Radiator Thermostats II [+M] now automate hydraulic balancing across a house’s radiators, and Bosch and Buderus heat pumps can connect to Bosch Smart Home thermostats so the heat pump generates heat only when a given room actually calls for it, rather than running to a single whole-house setpoint. Bosch states that compatible systems can also use the same floor-heating loop to actively cool rooms in summer. The company says every Bosch Home Comfort Group heat pump is now connectable to this smart-home layer.

What’s missing from Bosch’s announcement

Bosch has not published EU retail pricing, installer availability, or a confirmed on-sale date for either the Compress 8800i AW or the Climate 6000iP. The Climate 6000iP’s cooling capacity and room-size range are also not yet stated. Shoppers researching a heat pump retrofit or a first air conditioner this heating season should treat both as confirmed upcoming products rather than something ready to order today, and check back for pricing once Bosch’s dealer network lists them.

For anyone currently comparing air conditioners ahead of next summer, the Climate 6000iP is now a genuine R290 option to watch for once Bosch publishes capacity and price, alongside the R290 units already on the market from other manufacturers.