The air conditioner has traditionally been the ugliest appliance in the Indian home. For decades, we have been stuck with glossy white plastic rectangles that turn yellow over time and clash with every piece of furniture we own.
At a launch event today, Haier tried to change that. The company unveiled the Gravity Series, a lineup of 5-Star ACs wrapped in a matte, fabric-like finish in seven colors. It borrows a design cue from smart speakers to finally make the AC look like a piece of home decor.
But the real story isn’t just the paint job. It’s the timing. Haier is launching this flagship just months before a major shift in India’s energy efficiency regulations.
Here is what we observed on the ground, and what you need to know about the upcoming “Star Rating Shake-up.”
Design: Finally, an AC that isn’t white plastic
The immediate standout feature of the Gravity Series is the aesthetic. Moving away from the “white goods” look, Haier has introduced a texture that mimics fabric.
The series comes in seven colors with names like Moonstone Grey, Cotton Candy, and Midnight Dream. The idea is simple: if you paint your walls blue, you shouldn’t be stuck with a white box disrupting the view. It’s a trend we’ve seen in the TV market (like Samsung’s The Frame), and it is long overdue in the HVAC world.
The 2026 Energy Rating Shake-up
If you are buying an AC right now (December 2025), you are looking at a “5-Star” sticker. However, starting April 1, 2026, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is significantly tightening the rules.
This means many ACs rated “5-Star” today could drop to “4-Star” in just four months.
The New 2026 Standards (Split ACs):
As per the new ISEER (Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) guidelines, effective April 2026, the bar for efficiency is getting much higher:
| Star Rating | Current Standard (2025) | New Standard (From April 1, 2026) |
| 1-Star | 2.70 – 3.09 | 3.50 – 3.79 |
| 2-Star | 3.10 – 3.29 | 3.80 – 4.29 |
| 3-Star | 3.50 – 3.99 | 4.30 – 4.99 |
| 4-Star | 4.00 – 4.49 | 5.00 – 5.59 |
| 5-Star | ≥ 4.50 | ≥ 5.60 |
Source: Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)
What this means for you:
When looking at the new Haier Gravity Series (or any premium AC) this winter, check the ISEER value on the label, not just the stars. To be truly “future-proof” for 2026, you want a model with an ISEER closest to 5.60.
The “AI-AtmoX” System
You can’t launch a tech product in 2025 without saying “AI,” but Haier’s implementation branded as AI-AtmoX is surprisingly granular. It is built on three pillars: Neuro (Comfort), Power Manager (Savings), and Auto Clean (Service).
Here is how it actually impacts your daily use:
1. AI-AtmoX Neuro: It Knows When You’re Coming Home
- Geofencing (AI Pre-Cooling): This is the standout feature. The AC creates a 100-meter geofence around your home. It detects when you cross that boundary and automatically starts cooling. By the time you walk through the door, the room is already conditioned—no app or remote needed.
- AI Target Cooling: Using cloud data and sensors, the AC identifies where people are actually sitting in the room and directs airflow there specifically, rather than wasting energy cooling empty corners.
- Behavioral Learning (Climate Control 2.0): It tracks your habits over time. If you consistently lower the temperature at night or raise it in the morning, the AC learns this pattern and automates it, while also adjusting for outdoor weather conditions.
2. AI-AtmoX Power Manager: Granular Savings
Most ACs have a simple “Eco Mode.” Haier’s system is dynamic, adjusting cooling power based on the difference between the room temperature and your target temperature:
- L1 Eco Mode: Activates when the temperature gap is large (>3°C).
- L2 Eco Mode: Kicks in for medium gaps (1–3°C).
- L3 Eco Mode: The most efficient mode, used for maintenance when the gap is small (<1°C).
- Real-Time Bill Tracking: The HaiSmart app doesn’t just show “units consumed”; it displays your electricity cost in currency (₹) and lets you set a monthly budget. If you are nearing your limit, the AC can automatically adjust settings to stay within budget.
3. Supersonic Cooling
For those moments when you don’t care about efficiency and just want relief, the “Supersonic” feature claims to deliver a blast of cool air in just 10 seconds which Haier says is 20X faster than conventional models.
“Cyclone Clean”: Self-Cleaning Feature That Actually Makes Sense
Most “self-cleaning” ACs only clean the indoor unit. Haier’s Gravity Series introduces AI ODU Cyclone Clean for the outdoor unit, the part that actually gets clogged with dust and hurts efficiency.
How it works: 15 seconds after you turn the AC off, the outdoor fan reverses direction. This “reverse airflow” blows dust and debris off the condenser coils, maintaining heat exchange efficiency without you needing to spray it with water.
- Indoor Unit: It still uses Frost Self-Clean, where it freezes the evaporator coil to trap dust and bacteria, then melts it to wash them away. This cycle runs automatically every 240 hours.
Beyond the Living Room: Solar & Truck Cooling
While the pretty fabric ACs are for the home, Haier showed off some utilitarian grunt work that might be even more impressive.
1. The Solar Air Conditioner Haier demonstrated a unit pitched with the tagline “0 Electricity Bill.” In a country where regions like Ladakh have plenty of sun but unreliable grid connectivity, a unit that runs directly on solar is a massive play.
2. The Parking AC (For Trucks) Perhaps the most interesting practical innovation was the “Parking Air Conditioner.” With the Indian government pushing for mandatory air conditioning in truck cabins, this unit is designed to run on a 24V battery system. It sits on the roof of the sleeper cabin, allowing drivers to sleep comfortably without idling a massive diesel engine all night.
Beyond the Living Room: Solar & Truck Cooling
While the pretty fabric ACs are for the home, Haier showed off some utilitarian grunt work that might be even more impressive.
1. The Solar Air Conditioner
Haier demonstrated a unit pitched with the tagline “0 Electricity Bill.” In a country where regions like Ladakh have plenty of sun but unreliable grid connectivity, a unit that runs directly on solar is a massive play.
2. The Parking AC (For Trucks)
Perhaps the most interesting practical innovation was the “Parking Air Conditioner.” With the Indian government pushing for mandatory air conditioning in truck cabins, this unit is designed to run on a 24V battery system. It sits on the roof of the sleeper cabin, allowing drivers to sleep comfortably without idling a massive diesel engine all night.
Feature Comparison
Since this is a launch report and not a full review, we haven’t tested the cooling efficiency yet. However, here is how the specs stack up against the current market leaders.
| Feature | Haier Gravity 2026 Lineup | LG AI DualCool | Panasonic MirAIe |
| Design | Fabric Texture / Colors | Glossy White | Glossy White |
| Key AI Feature | 100m Geofencing & Target Cooling | AI Energy Manager | App Scheduling |
| Cooling Limit | 60°C Ambient | 52°C Ambient | 52°C Ambient |
| Self Clean | Reverse-Fan (Outdoor) + Frost (Indoor) | Heat Clean | Shield Blu |
| Eco Modes | 3-Level Dynamic (L1-L3) | 6-in-1 Convertible | 7-in-1 Convertible |
| Price | Starts ₹49,990 | ~₹45,000 – ₹55,000 | ~₹40,000 – ₹50,000 |
First Impressions
Haier is betting that in 2026, you will care as much about how your AC looks as how it cools. The Gravity Series is the best-looking air conditioner we have seen this year.
With a starting price of ₹49,990, it undercuts many premium rivals while offering genuine innovation like the 100-meter geofence, reverse-fan outdoor cleaning, and real-time currency tracking. If the AI works as advertised, this might be the smartest AC upgrade you can make before the summer heat—and the new regulations—kick in
FAQ:
Q: Will 5-Star AC ratings change in India in 2026?
A: Yes. Starting April 1, 2026, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is tightening standards. A split AC will need an ISEER of 5.60 or higher to retain a 5-Star rating.
Q: What is the price of the Haier Gravity Series in India?
A: The Haier Gravity Series starts at ₹49,990 and is available via major e-commerce platforms and retail stores.
Q: Does the Haier Gravity AC turn on automatically?
A: Yes. It features AI Pre-Cooling with a 100-meter geofence that detects when you are near your home and starts cooling automatically.
Q: What is “Supersonic Cooling”?
A: It is a rapid-cooling mode that delivers a blast of cool air in just 10 seconds, which Haier claims is 20 times faster than standard ACs.
Q: Does the Haier Gravity AC run on solar power?
A: Haier launched a specific “Solar AC” model alongside the Gravity series that is designed for solar compatibility, but the standard Gravity consumer unit is a grid-connected inverter AC.
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