Europe is currently in the grip of its most severe heatwave on record, sparking a massive surge in demand for air conditioning units.
On June 27th, eastern Germany recorded a temperature of 41.5°C, marking the second consecutive day the nation's all-time high was broken. The Czech Republic also saw its historical temperature record shattered, reaching 40.6°C on the same day.
Under the combined assault of a "heat dome" effect and the global climate crisis, Europe is enduring its harshest summer since records began. Over one hundred million people are facing temperatures exceeding 35°C. In France, heat-related drowning deaths have surged to 55, while numerous countries have seen school closures, overwhelmed hospitals, and widespread cancellations of rail and air travel.
In this context, a product long considered a "non-essential" luxury by many Europeans—the household air conditioner—is being snapped up at an unprecedented rate. Orders for Asian manufacturers like Samsung, Midea, and Mitsubishi Electric have skyrocketed.
Among these, Midea's PortaSplit, a portable split-system air conditioner specifically designed for the European market, has sold out in multiple countries. The resale price for used units has, at times, reached two to three times the original retail price.
Infrastructure Built for a Climate That No Longer Exists
European architectural design has long prioritized winter insulation, featuring thick walls, high sealing, and maximized sunlight. In the face of sustained high temperatures, these features have turned into a "heat storage trap," exacerbating indoor conditions.
A stark assessment from the UK's Climate Change Committee highlighted Europe's predicament, stating that "existing infrastructure was built for a climate that no longer exists."
France's housing minister bluntly noted that one-third of the country's homes are "like thermos flasks." In Paris, nearly four-fifths of apartments are covered with zinc roofs, turning them into ovens during summer. In Germany, with summer daylight lasting 15 to 16 hours, buildings absorb heat during the day and release it slowly at night, creating a cumulative effect. At the recently concluded Europe's largest new energy exhibition in Munich, the vast exhibition halls lacked air conditioning, forcing over 100,000 visitors to fan themselves with brochures. The stark contrast was evident: futuristic integrated energy solutions were displayed on stage, while the most primitive cooling methods were employed off it.
In Europe, installing an air conditioner presents another formidable hurdle. Older buildings often lack pre-installed ducts, and strict historical preservation laws severely limit alterations to building facades. Consequently, the installation cost for a traditional split-system unit can easily exceed €1,000. Additionally, the high operational costs are prohibitive. In Berlin, for example, with electricity prices around €0.40 per kilowatt-hour, running an air conditioner for eight hours a day could increase monthly electricity bills by €100 to €150. Historically mild summers solidified the norm of "no air conditioning" into building codes and social consensus. Now, however, the climatic reality has fundamentally changed.
Analysis by the World Weather Attribution group shows the planet has warmed by 1.1°C over the past 50 years. A heatwave of similar intensity today would have been about 2°C cooler in 2003 and about 3.5°C cooler in 1976. The probability of oppressive nighttime heat occurring now is approximately 100 times greater than in 2003. More dangerously, the combination of high heat and humidity is becoming more common. Among 850 European cities with populations over 50,000, 45% are experiencing their most severe humid heat conditions on record, which can completely disable the human body's natural cooling mechanism through sweat. The World Meteorological Organization notes that Europe is warming at more than twice the global average rate.
Soaring Orders and Rising Stock Prices
Data from the International Energy Agency indicates that the current penetration rate of air conditioning in European households is only about 20%, far below the nearly 90% rate in the United States. Within Europe, Southern nations like Italy have a rate around 50%, Spain about 40%, while most of Northwestern Europe is significantly lower. However, change is accelerating. Germany's air conditioner ownership grew by 6 percentage points between 2023 and 2024. Research from Oxford and Bristol Universities points out that eight of the ten countries with the largest projected increase in "cooling degree days" globally are in Northwestern Europe, including Switzerland, the UK, and Norway.
The current extreme heatwave has directly pushed market demand to new heights. Samsung Electronics reported double-digit growth in its core markets of Italy, Spain, and France in the first half of 2026 and "expects demand to continue throughout the cooling season." Data disclosed by Midea shows sales in Germany via e-commerce channels surged 37% year-on-year in May, while shipments to Spain and France soared by 108%. Mitsubishi Electric similarly reported surging demand in France, Spain, the UK, and Germany. LG Electronics revealed that its South Korean air conditioner production lines have been operating at full capacity since April. The IEA's head of energy efficiency described the typical European scenario of buying a portable air conditioner as a "panic purchase on a hot weekend"—people grab the first machine they see in a store and make do with it for a decade.
Capital markets have quickly priced in this trend. On June 25th, Milan-listed climate control company Ariston rose 2.3%, French construction materials giant Saint-Gobain gained 2.2%, Swedish heat pump manufacturer NIBE advanced 0.7%, and global refrigeration wholesaler Beijer Ref increased by 1.3%, continuing gains from the previous trading session.
Simultaneously, the surging demand for cooling is putting immense strain on European power grids. During the heatwave, tens of thousands of French households experienced power outages, and some nuclear reactors had to reduce output due to high temperatures. In the UK, the grid operator urgently spent approximately $13 million to procure additional electricity generation. The UK's Climate Change Committee has recommended that all hospitals achieve safe temperature control by 2035, all care homes by 2040, and all schools and prisons by 2050. Clearly, Europe's efforts to "catch up" on cooling infrastructure will be measured in decades.
The Breakout Product: Midea's PortaSplit, a "Regulatory Hack" Success Story
In this buying frenzy, Midea's PortaSplit is undoubtedly the product generating the most buzz.
It is not cheap—the cooling-only version sells for around €900 (approximately 6,000 RMB), and the heat pump version for about €1,200 (approximately 9,000 RMB). However, it precisely addresses the core pain point that has plagued Europeans for decades: how to install a real air conditioner without drilling holes, violating regulations, or hiring expensive professionals.
Previously, the portable air conditioners available to European consumers were mostly bulky, inefficient single-unit machines. These typically required a large exhaust hose to be extended out a window, leaving a gap for hot air to seep back in. Installing an efficient traditional split-system unit meant navigating a dense web of strict regulations. In Spain, mounting an outdoor unit is considered an alteration to the building facade, requiring approval from three-fifths of a building's owners. In Italy, installation must be performed by licensed professionals, with fines up to €100,000 for unauthorized work. France mandates inspection for units containing over 2kg of refrigerant. Germany enforces strict nighttime noise limits of 35 decibels, while Switzerland requires an energy efficiency rating of at least A++.
Facing these barriers, the PortaSplit seems designed to skirt each regulation. Its outdoor unit is mounted on a window bracket, requiring no tools or drilling. Legally, it is classified as an "internal appliance placed on a shelf," cleverly bypassing facade alteration bans. Its refrigerant charge is precisely 1.99kg, just under France's 2kg threshold. In quiet mode, its operating noise is 35 decibels, exactly meeting Germany's standard. Its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is 6.1, just reaching the lower limit (6.1-8.5) for Switzerland's A++ rating. On Chinese social media, this meticulous product design is humorously called "hacking the system," with netizens joking that "Midea's international trade, legal, and design teams all deserve a year-end bonus."
Returning to the product itself, the PortaSplit retains the core advantage of a split-system: the compressor is located outside, leading to significantly better noise control and energy efficiency indoors compared to traditional portable units. It also incorporates air-source heat pump technology, allowing it to function as a heating device in winter, earning it the industry label of the first "DIY heat pump."
The product first launched in Germany. After selling out for two consecutive summers, it rapidly expanded into France, Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary, and several Nordic countries. In 2025, the PortaSplit was selected for TIME magazine's list of the "Best Inventions." As the citation noted, in countries where installation can cost thousands of euros, it offers a "cheap, quiet alternative," making air conditioning "no longer a crazy concept" on the other side of the Atlantic.
On overseas social media platforms, some users declare it "the best investment I ever made." Others share electricity bills showing over 200 hours of operation for less than €30. One widely circulated meme simply asks: "Why haven't you bought a Midea air conditioner yet?"
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