NISSAN® HAS BECOME THE FIRST MANUFACTURER TO APPLY GLOW-IN-THE-DARK CAR PAINT TO SHOWCASE HOW ITS MARKET-LEADING, ALL-ELECTRIC LEAF® IS HELPING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE CONVERT TO SOLAR ENERGY FOR HOME CHARGING OF ELECTRIC CARS. THE GLOW-IN-THE-DARK LEAF REFLECTS HOW HOUSEHOLD SOLAR PANELS ALSO HARVEST AND STORE SUNLIGHT.
Nissan in Europe worked with inventor Hamish Scott, creator of STARPATH, which is a spray-applied coating that absorbs UV energy during the day so that it glows for between 8 to 10 hours when the sun goes down.
While glowing car paint is already available, as are glow-in-the-dark car wraps, the ultraviol-etenergized paint created especially for Nissan is unique thanks to its secret formula made up of entirely organic materials. It contains a very rare natural earth product called Strontium Aluminate, which is solid, odorless and chemically and biologically inert.
CHOCOLATE SYRUP
What do you get when you combine the world’s best-selling zero emission vehicle with innovative paint technology that repels mud, rain and everyday dirt? “A very special Nissan LEAF electric vehicle that might just be the ‘world’s cleanest car’.”
Recently, the Nissan LEAF electric vehicle, which might just be the “world’s cleanest car,” was shown at the Chicago Auto Show.
Created to demonstrate its potential use in future vehicles, this Nissan LEAF’s exterior is treated with a specially engineered superhydrophobic and oleophobic paint. This “self-cleaning” paint, called Ultra-Ever Dry®, creates a protective layer of air between the paint and environment, effectively stopping water and road spray from leaving dirt marks on LEAF’s surface. Nissan is one of the first carmakers to apply this technology to a vehicle.
The coating, marketed and sold by UltraTech International Inc., has been in testing at the Nissan Technical Center in Europe. So far, it has responded well to common car-dirtying events including rain, spray, frost, sleet, and standing water with the technology creating a protective “umbrella of air” for the paint. Nanoparticles coat the surface making a texture with patterns of geometric shapes that have peaks or high points. These teeny tiny high points repel wet substances and other liquids. In fact, chocolate syrup squirted onto the hood rolls right off onto the floor and has been a crowd favorite during public demonstrations.
The special nano-coating prevents water, dirt, fine oils, and even wet concrete from sticking to the car’s surface. This new self-cleaning superhydrophobic technology may not entirely eliminate the need for washing the car, but it may mean that you could go a year between visits to the car wash.
STAY-CLEAN PAINT
Nissan is evaluating public feedback to consider using the treatment as a future aftermarket option. “The LEAF is already one of the cleanest vehicles around even without this incredibly innovative paint technology; that said, we’re not afraid to get our hands dirty to take this to the next level,” said Pierre Loing, Vice President, Product Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. “Getting fans involved via this social media campaign is a fun, creative way to show how the LEAF can stay clean no matter how dirty the world around it may be. A marriage with the Ultra-Ever Dry® exterior coating truly puts this LEAF in a league of its own, and we’re excited to see where this technology can take us.”
NISSAN PAINT PRANK
First in a series of planned activations, “The Nissan Paint Prank” launched in December 2014 at https://youtu.be/Fb-EruhkfPE on YouTube. A “Three Stooges” style calamity video shot in historic downtown Franklin, Tennessee catches expressions of innocent bystanders shocked to see what happens as a crew of painters “accidentally” spills buckets of paint on the Nissan LEAF. As bystanders are playfully made aware of the prank after viewing it, viewers online will be encouraged to visit http://instagram.com/nissanusa – Nissan’s Instagram channel – to participate in a related series of videos.
While there are currently no plans for this unique paint coating technology to be applied to Nissan vehicles as standard equipment, Nissan continues to consider the technology as a future aftermarket option.
