Europe’s severe heat wave is forcing many to finally consider home cooling, an idea they had long resisted for reasons ranging from socio-cultural factors to urban design and climate change.Google searches for ACs in hard-hit countries are at their highest ever. The irony: Europe already has AC penetration comparable to India, which has much hotter climate.Graphic Sources: Google Trends; International Energy Agency, Statista Consumer Insights, US Energy Information Administration; Data For India analysis based on Household Consumption Expenditure Surveys*Figures are not strictly comparable as they are from different sources and are for different years (most recent and best available, ranging from 2018 to 2025). Some figures are approximate.