LG launches 2026 BEE star-rated air conditioners in India, promises higher savings and early availability

LG has announced that it is among the first brands in India to introduce a comprehensive range of air conditioners compliant with the new 2026 Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) star rating norms. The early rollout, available nationwide from January, comes ahead of the summer season. This should give consumers immediate access to the new slate of LG air conditioners built to stricter energy efficiency standards, at a time when power costs and sustainability concerns are rising.

2026 LG AC with BEE star rating announcement

BEE has mandated star labelling (between 1-5 stars) on home appliances, including energy performance disclosure under the Standards and Labelling (S&L) Programme. The new norms also reset the star ratings, i.e., Models that qualified as 5-star under older norms may now fall into lower star bands, not due to reduced performance, but because the benchmarks themselves have become more stringent.

LG says its updated lineup is designed to address this shift and deliver measurable long-term savings.

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Key points include:

• Higher energy efficiency: As per industry estimates cited by LG, a 5-star air conditioner under the 2026 norms can help users save up to Rs 19,000 over a 10-year usage period, depending on electricity tariffs and usage patterns.
• Clearer star rating context: The reclassification under the new framework is meant to push adoption of more efficient technologies, and not to dilute product quality.
• Early market availability: LG’s 2026 BEE-compliant residential air conditioners have been available since early January.
• Smart and energy-focused features: The lineup introduces features such as Precool and Energy Manager+. Precool uses geofencing through the LG ThinQ app to automatically start cooling when the user enters a predefined distance from home. Energy Manager+ analyses usage history, recommends realistic operating hours, and allows users to set periodic energy budgets based on those insights.

On this announcement, Sanjay Chitkara, Co-Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, LG Electronics India Limited, said, ‘As India moves towards stricter energy efficiency norms, LG Electronics India Limited remains committed to supporting this transition through early compliance and future-ready product innovation. With our portfolio already aligned to the new BEE standards, LGEIL enters the new season well-prepared to offer reliable, energy-efficient air conditioning solutions that help our consumers save money while enjoying superior cooling.’

The new regulations should align local benchmarks more closely with global energy performance standards. For brands, this shift requires reworking and optimising their technologies and tightening the manufacturing pipeline. For buyers, it raises upfront clarity on long-term running costs.

Meanwhile, air conditioners manufactured under earlier BEE norms will continue to be sold until existing inventory is cleared, giving buyers a choice between older-rated models and the newer 2026-compliant range. However, LG’s early shift positions its portfolio as a safer option for consumers planning long-term purchases ahead of the summer of 2026.

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