Recently, Nissan announced a revolutionary automobile paint that, when parked in direct sunlight, may cool cars by as much as 21.6°F (12°C). The Nissan Research Center is the source of this invention. Its experts created a paint that effectively reflects solar radiation and reduces heat absorption by incorporating cutting-edge metamaterials.
The paint’s effectiveness is attributed to two types of particles embedded within it. The first type reflects near-infrared wavelengths, which are primarily responsible for generating heat in standard car paints. The second type of particle creates electromagnetic waves that redirect solar energy away from the vehicle, venting it directly into space. This dual-action approach mirrors techniques used in radiative cooling technologies seen in other applications.
Nissan has been testing this innovative coating since November on a Nissan NV100 service vehicle at Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport. Results have been promising, showing that treated vehicles experience external surface temperatures up to 21.6°F cooler, with interior cabin temperatures up to 9°F (5°C) lower compared to a vehicle with regular paint parked alongside it.
The concept of sunlight-reflecting coatings is not entirely new, as similar materials have been used to cool buildings. However, adapting this technology for automotive use presents challenges. Traditional cooling paints, often applied to rooftops, are much thicker and lack durability when scaled down for vehicle use. Nissan’s version is 120 microns thick significantly thinner than other cooling coats but still thicker than conventional automotive paint, which averages 20 microns per layer.
Notwithstanding these difficulties, Nissan’s coating exhibits a robust resilience to abrasion, chipping, and peeling while preserving color constancy. The business is currently concentrating on improving the technology even more in order to produce a more resilient, thinner version that can be sprayed on with a spray gun, come with a protective topcoat, and eventually be offered in colors other than white.