Brand guide · United States · checked October 19, 2026
Panasonic heat pumps
Panasonic is made by Panasonic Holdings Corporation (Japan). ENERGY STAR lists 59 Panasonic outdoor models certified for the US, 50 of them cold-climate, and its best certified pairing heats at a COP of 2.50 at 5°F.
Certified for the US 59 outdoor models 177 certified pairings
Cold-climate 50 models meet ENERGY STAR Cold Climate
Best COP at 5°F 2.50 best HSPF2 13.0 · best SEER2 27.5
Warranty in the US Terms not published see terms below
Panasonic at a glance
- Who owns it
- Panasonic Holdings Corporation (Japan). In the US, HVAC sales, parts and support go through a nationwide master import representative, HVAC Specialty (Wallace Eannace); in Canada through Panasonic Canada (na.panasonic.ca). No ownership change found for 2024-2026.
- Headquarters
- Kadoma, Osaka, Japan
- How it's sold
- Contractor-installed
- Price tier
- Mid-range. Editorial judgement, not price data: contractor-installed through a single US import representative and Panasonic Canada. No independent installed-price source was verified.
- What it makes
- ductless mini-split, multi-zone, ducted mini-split, ducted central
- Names on ENERGY STAR's list
- Panasonic (certified by Panasonic)
Product lines
The current residential heat pump lines we found on Panasonic's own pages, with the low-temperature claim in the maker's words. 5 of 5 are sold as cold-climate.
| Line | Type | Cold-climate | Maker's low-temperature claim | Refrigerant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClimaPure XZ and EXTERIOS Z wall-mounted (single- or multi-zone) | ductless mini-split | Yes | “can reliably generate heat even when temperatures plummet to -26°C (-15°F) outside”; “Units independently tested in Canada to operate at -35°C (-31°F) in controlled environment.” | R-32 |
| INTERIOS central heat pump and air handler (US catalog: Ducted Central Heat Pump System, Regular Heat and Extreme Heat series) | ducted central | Yes | Canada: “reliably generating heat even when temperatures plummet to -30°C (-22°F) outside” “with 100% output down to -15°C (-4°F)” [sic: -15°C is 5°F]; US catalog: “Continuous operation down to -30°C/-22°F” | R-454B |
| Multi-Zone (CU-2Z18, CU-3Z22, CU-4Z24, CU-5Z36 outdoor units) | multi-zone | Yes | Heating operating range -26.11°C to 24°C (-15.0°F to 75.2°F) (US catalog spec table) | R-32 |
| Hybrid A-Coil system (heat pump with a furnace) | ducted central | Yes | “When the temperature drops below -30°C (-22°F), the system will switch over to the furnace for comfortable whole-home heating.” | R-454B |
| Project Series (Slim Duct, 4-Way Cassette, Mini-Split, Floor Console) | ducted mini-split | Yes | “can operate at temperatures as low as -25 °C (-13 °F)” | R-454B |
Certified models with the best cold-weather numbers
From ENERGY STAR's list for the US (updated October 19, 2026): each row is one outdoor unit with its best certified pairing. 39 of 59 Panasonic outdoor models use R-454B or R-32; the tables show those.
Mini-splits and multi-splits (38 models)
| Outdoor / indoor model | Size | Heat at 5°F | COP at 5°F | HSPF2 | SEER2 | Refrigerant | AHRI # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CU-YM12CBUC CS-YM12CFUW CU Series | 12,000 BTU/h 1-ton | 8,900 BTU/h 74% of rated | 2.50 | 11.0 | 24.6 | R-454B ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 218027972 |
| CU-YM18CBUC CS-YM18CD1UW CU Series | 20,000 BTU/h 1.5-ton | 14,200 BTU/h 71% of rated | 2.40 | 11.3 | 20.0 | R-454B ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 218027970 |
| CU-YM9CBUC CS-YM9CKUW CU Series | 10,000 BTU/h 1-ton | 8,200 BTU/h 82% of rated | 2.33 | 13.0 | 24.6 | R-454B ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 218027960 |
| CU-XZ9AKUAC CS-XZ9AKUAW Climapure XZ | 8,700 BTU/h 0.5-ton | 11,700 BTU/h 135% of rated | 2.31 | 12.0 | 27.5 | R-32 ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 214837752 |
| CS-XZ9AKUAW/CU-XZ9AKUAC CS-XZ9AKUAW ClimaPure XZ | 10,900 BTU/h 0.5-ton | 11,700 BTU/h 107% of rated | 2.31 | 12.0 | 27.5 | R-32 ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 214837752 |
| CU - 3YM18CBUC CU Series | 19,000 BTU/h 1.5-ton | 14,600 BTU/h 77% of rated | 2.30 | 10.0 | 20.0 | R-454B ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 218214179 |
Central (ducted) split systems (22 models)
| Outdoor / indoor model | Size | Heat at 5°F | COP at 5°F | HSPF2 | SEER2 | Refrigerant | AHRI # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CU-HM18BAHU CS-HM24BAAU1 CU Series | 19,000 BTU/h 1.5-ton | 18,000 BTU/h 95% of rated | 2.06 | 9.5 | 16.1 | R-454B ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 216621494 |
| CU-M36BAHU CS-HM36BAHU CU Series | 36,000 BTU/h 3-ton | 27,000 BTU/h 75% of rated | 2.00 | 8.7 | 16.1 | R-454B ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 216505876 |
| CU-M18BAHU CS-HM18BAHU CU Series | 18,000 BTU/h 1.5-ton | 11,200 BTU/h 62% of rated | 2.00 | 9.1 | 18.8 | R-454B | 216505864 |
| CU-HM30BAHU CS-HM30BAHU CU Series | 34,000 BTU/h 2.5-ton | 32,600 BTU/h 96% of rated | 1.96 | 10.0 | 16.8 | R-454B ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 216505881 |
| CU-HM36BAHU CS-HM36BAHU CU Series | 37,000 BTU/h 3-ton | 39,000 BTU/h 105% of rated | 1.90 | 10.3 | 17.4 | R-454B ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 216505882 |
| CU-HM48BAHU CS-HM48BAHU CU Series | 50,000 BTU/h 4-ton | 46,000 BTU/h 92% of rated | 1.90 | 9.5 | 16.5 | R-454B ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 216505883 |
Most efficient for cooling
| Outdoor / indoor model | Size | SEER2 | EER2 | HSPF2 | COP at 5°F | Refrigerant | AHRI # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS-XZ9AKUAW/CU-XZ9AKUAC CS-XZ9AKUAW ClimaPure XZ | 10,900 BTU/h 0.5-ton | 27.5 | 16.4 | 12.0 | 2.31 | R-32 ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 214837752 |
| CU-XZ9AKUAC CS-XZ9AKUAW Climapure XZ | 8,700 BTU/h 0.5-ton | 27.5 | 16.4 | 12.0 | 2.31 | R-32 ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 214837752 |
| CS-XZ12AKUAW/CU-XZ12AKUAC CS-XZ12AKUAW ClimaPure XZ | 12,000 BTU/h 1-ton | 25.0 | 14.4 | 11.7 | 2.11 | R-32 ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 214837753 |
| CU-XZ12AKUAC CS-XZ12AKUAW Climapure XZ | 11,500 BTU/h 1-ton | 25.0 | 14.4 | 11.7 | 2.11 | R-32 ENERGY STAR Cold Climate | 214837753 |
Look up any pairing by its AHRI number in the AHRI Directory ↗ or search the model in ENERGY STAR's product finder ↗. Ratings are for the exact indoor and outdoor pairing shown.
Warranty
In the US Terms not published
For comparison: in Canada Terms not published
Strengths and watch-outs
Strengths
- Cold-climate ductless tested in Canada: ClimaPure XZ / EXTERIOS Z heat at -26°C (-15°F) and were independently tested to operate at -35°C (-31°F)
- INTERIOS ducted central heat pumps heat at -30°C (-22°F), with ENERGY STAR Cold Climate certified models (Panasonic Canada)
- INTERIOS heat pumps installed by a Panasonic certified technician carry what Panasonic Canada calls a “10/10 year warranty”
Watch-outs
- US distribution runs through one master import representative (HVAC Specialty / Wallace Eannace); check that a trained local installer is available
- No US or Canadian warranty statement (years, registration rules, labour) was published on any page we could read
- Panasonic's INTERIOS page pairs -15°C with “-4°F” (-15°C is 5°F); rely on the °C figure
- Canada: ENERGY STAR lists R-410A Panasonic lines (Exterios E, ClimaPure XE, RE-Pre Series, Multizone) certified for the Canadian market in June 2026; confirm the refrigerant on quotes
Which rebates Panasonic models fit
Every model in these tables is ENERGY STAR certified, which is the federal equipment rule for the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates where your state runs them. 50 Panasonic outdoor models also meet ENERGY STAR Cold Climate, which several utility programs require. The 25C tax credit ended for heat pumps placed in service after December 31, 2025.
Rebate rules by metro:
Recent news
- Panasonic R-454B 'CU Series' ducted and mini-split heat pumps began appearing in ENERGY STAR (certifications March 2025-Sept 2026, US and Canada) energystar.gov ↗
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Sources
Model counts and ratings: ENERGY STAR Certified Heat Pumps, updated October 19, 2026. Brand facts checked October 19, 2026 on:
- Panasonic HVAC (US, Indoor Air Quality site)
- Panasonic mini-split (US)
- Panasonic central heat pumps (US)
- Panasonic Canada: INTERIOS
- Panasonic Canada: ClimaPure XZ and EXTERIOS Z (R32)
- Panasonic Canada: Project Series
- HVAC Specialty (Wallace Eannace), Panasonic US master import representative
- Panasonic HVAC R32 catalog (US, file dated Nov 2025)
- ENERGY STAR Certified Heat Pumps dataset (rows updated 2026-10-19)