The Packard 180 became the first production automobile fitted with factory air conditioning when the option appeared in 1940.
Packard offered the system as an expensive option supplied by Bishop and Babcock. It occupied substantial trunk space because the compressor and evaporator were large by modern standards. The system also lacked the convenient controls and compact packaging expected in today’s vehicles.
The feature was technically impressive but commercially limited. Few buyers chose it, and wartime production soon disrupted the development of luxury-car equipment. Automobile air conditioning became more practical and widely available only after later improvements in component size, reliability, and control systems.
The Packard 180 is sometimes confused with later Cadillac or Chrysler models because those companies helped popularize climate control. Packard’s distinction concerns the first factory-installed automotive air-conditioning option, not the first comfortable or affordable system.