NISSAN IS DEVELOPING A NEW TYPE OF CAR PAINT
Nissan is developing a new type of car paint that uses metamaterials to reflect sunlight and reduce heat absorption. This could lead to cooler cabins in the summer and less energy usage from air conditioning.
The paint is still in the testing phase, but initial results have been promising. In trials, a car painted with the new material had a 12 degree Celsius (21.6 degree Fahrenheit) cooler exterior surface temperature and a 5 degree Celsius (9 degree Fahrenheit) cooler interior temperature compared to a car with traditional paint.
The paint works by using two types of microscopic particles. One reflects near-infrared rays from sunlight, which normally cause heat buildup in traditional paint. The other particle creates electromagnetic waves that counteract the sun's rays and redirect the energy away from the car.
One of the challenges of developing this paint for cars is that it needs to be thin enough to be sprayed on with a spray gun and meet Nissan's quality standards. So far, the team has tested a thickness of 120 microns, which is six times thicker than typical car paint.
If development continues to go well, Nissan hopes to eventually offer this paint as a special option for cars and light commercial vehicles.