As AQI levels continue to swing between ‘severe’ and ‘hazardous’, NCR residents are masking up and installing air purifiers. With the number of hours most people spend in their cars, there’s also an increased focus on in-car protection, getting cabin filters serviced, and installing air purifiers inside vehicles.
‘Car air purifiers have become the season’s essential commodity’
E-commerce platforms are witnessing an increase in sales of wellness-focused products, with demand for car air purifiers on the rise. KN Srikanth, Director, Home, Kitchen and Outdoors, Amazon India, says, “In the tally of sales of air purifiers for cars, Delhi-NCR leads with 2.5x growth year-on-year, followed by Mumbai at 1.75x. We are also witnessing adoption in non-metros, such as Chandigarh, Pune, Ludhiana, and Ahmedabad.”
Abu, who owns a gadget shop in Khan Market, sells 10-12 home air purifiers daily, and at least two car air purifiers. “Customers are better informed now, and they ask for purifiers with HEPA filters as it is highly recommended even by pulmonologists,” he says.
“For the past few years, car air purifiers have become the season’s essential commodity,” says Gurjeet Singh, owner of a gadget shop in Khan Market. He says that while most modern cars now come with built-in filtration, an external purifier in the cabin still makes a big difference. “In-car AQI is often higher because of VOCs, smoke and trapped pollutants. The other day, I rolled down my window in West Delhi, and the reading shot up to 999. After switching on the filter plus purifier, it dropped significantly.”
What to look for in a car air purifierIn Delhi’s 500+ AQI reality, your car’s cabin is your last clean-air bunker, but only if your air purifier delivers real power, not placebo airflow, says auto expert Nikhil Chawla. “Most passenger cabins are roughly 3 m³, and to meaningfully suppress PM2.5 during hazardous outdoor episodes you should aim for at least 2 air-changes per hour (ACH), roughly 36 m³/h Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) as a minimum and preferably 60–100 m³/h CADR to overcome leakage, door openings and real-world losses and to clean the air quickly,” he says.He suggests:
- Use HVAC recirculation whenever safe
- Fit or upgrade to a good OEM/HEPA-grade cabin filter
- If you commute during hazardous AQI level days, plug an in-car purifier with ≥36 m³/h CADR (aim for 60+ m³/h if you can)
- Remember to replace filters on schedule because a clogged filter is effectively doing nothing
- Install two portable air purifiers, one in the front and one in the rear of the cabin
‘Use recirculation mode wisely’Dr Abhimanyu Bhatia, Head of Department of Critical Care at a Delhi hospital, says, “For commuters who spend long hours in traffic, especially in NCR, the cumulative exposure to particulate matter and vehicle emissions does contribute to respiratory issues (worsening asthma, COPD risk, possibly cardiovascular stress). Installing a good-quality purifier in the car is extremely useful, particularly for individuals with lung or heart problems or those who spend a long time commuting. But this should be part of a bundle of measures, not a stand-alone measure.” He says:
- If you spend more than roughly 30-60 minutes/day in heavy traffic, a car air purifier/upgrade of the cabin filter is worth it
- Consider wearing a well-fitting mask (N95/FFP2) while in heavy traffic zones. In a car cabin, it may feel odd, but during extreme pollution episodes, it adds a layer of protection
- Use recirculation mode wisely. When you’re in a high-pollution zone, switch on recirculation mode (to limit outside air) as it helps reduce intake of the polluted ambient air. But do not keep the recirculation mode on for long, as it allows CO₂ to accumulate, leading to fatigue and reduced attention. So for every ~15-20 minutes in recirculation, let fresh air in for a minute or two
‘The exposure to pollution amid heavy highway traffic is extremely hazardous’Many residents who rely on multiple air purifiers at home feel that stepping outdoors undoes the protection they maintain indoors. “We have three air purifiers at home. The conscious decision to add it to the car is because I recently got back to my work-from-office routine. The exposure of two hours every day amid heavy highway traffic is extremely hazardous. When we stop for fuel, we roll the window down and expose ourselves to the smog outside. Sadly, this isn’t something we can avoid,” says Mohit Sachdeva, an IT Risk Advisory Specialist from Gurgaon.
Portable air purifiers that can be worn or carried to workplaces, cars and other daily settings are also finding buyers. Anmay Sahlot, co-founder of a wearable purifier brand, says, “People are beginning to treat clean air as a daily health requirement rather than a seasonal precaution, and this shift is driving the popularity of wearable and portable air purification solutions.”
“With Delhi regularly swinging into 500+ AQI territory, clean air inside cars is no longer a luxury. It’s a basic health imperative. Cars are small, high-occupancy environments where a few breaths of PM2.5-laden air can matter. So, the most practical protection is a combination of a tight HVAC cabin filter + a high-flow in-car purifier or a genuinely powerful portable unit that gives multiple air changes each hour,” suggests Nikhil Chawla, an auto expert.
Nitin Dua, Co-founder, Qubo, shares, “In-car air purifiers are increasingly transforming the everyday travel experience – especially at this time when AQI is crossing 500 every day. Car air purifier plays a crucial role in creating a safer and more comfortable environment. By actively filtering out PM2.5 and PM10 particles and reducing airborne bacteria, it helps maintain consistently clean air inside the vehicle regardless of outdoor AQI levels. This not only enhances physical well-being but also elevates mental comfort. We’ve observed a significant surge in demand for car air purifiers across the NCR region—including Delhi, Gurgaon, and Noida. With air quality dipping sharply during peak pollution months, consumers are becoming far more conscious about the air they breathe inside their vehicles. As a result, we’ve recorded a nearly 3x increase in sales compared to last year across all our channels. In-car air purification is no longer viewed as a niche accessory but as an essential safeguard.”
We have run out of stock: Shops
While the demand for car air purifiers continues to soar, for those looking to buy one now, the odds aren’t in their favour. Most stores have run out of stock, with a few selling their last units, and even e-commerce platforms are showing thinning inventories.
“I got a call from a regular customer that two of her cars are still pending to be installed with an air purifier, but I have no car air purifier to offer at the moment. I sold close to 100 units last month,” says Gurjeet Singh, owner of a gadget shop in Khan Market. “Demand continues and will not cease to exist till the end of the season. We are hoping to restock soon,” he adds. Another shop owner in Khan Market says that air purifiers are now out of stock.
