Nissan is testing a revolutionary car paint that can reduce cabin temperatures.
Nissan is testing an innovative paint to reduce the interior temperature of vehicles, developed with Radi-Cool. Using metamaterials, this paint reflects infrared rays and redirects solar energy, lowering the surface temperature by 12°C and the interior by 5°C.
Tested at Tokyo airport, it could reduce the use of air conditioning and improve energy efficiency. However, challenges remain in adapting this thick paint usually used for buildings to the automotive industry. Nissan continues to refine this technology.
Nissan paint with unique properties
Japanese carmaker Nissan is exploring new technologies to make car rides more comfortable. Among these innovations, Company tests car paint that can reduce interior temperatures in vehiclesThis project, developed in collaboration with Radi-Cool, aims to reduce the use of the air conditioning system, which could have beneficial effects on the energy efficiency of vehicles. The technology developed by Nissan is based on the use of metamaterialssynthetic composite materials whose properties are not found in nature.
In partnership with Radi-Cool, Nissan has incorporated two types of microstructured particles into its paint. The first particle reflects the sun’s near-infrared rays, preventing heat from penetrating the vehicle’s surface. The second particle creates electromagnetic waves that redirect solar energy back into the atmosphere, reducing heat transfer to the vehicle’s interior. Thanks to these particles, Nissan’s paint manages to reduce the surface temperature of the vehicle by up to 12 degrees Celsius and the interior temperature by up to 5 degrees Celsiuscompared to a traditional painting.
These results were obtained during a feasibility study conducted at the Tokyo International Airport site in Haneda, in partnership with Japan Airport TerminalRadi-Cool Japan and All Nippon Airways (ANA) airport services.
The road is still long
Susumu Miura, a senior manager and expert at the Advanced Materials and Processing Laboratory at Nissan Research Center, is leading the development of this technology. With his experience in noise reduction and vehicle efficiency improvement at Nissan, Miura hopes to be able to offer this product for special orders and in a variety of colors. The application of radiant cooling paint to the automotive industry is not without challenges.
Traditionally used for buildings and infrastructure, This paint is thick and is applied with a rollermaking it unsuitable for automotive use. Nissan therefore had to develop a thinner version, compatible with spray application and meeting automotive paint quality standards.
Since development began in 2021, the Miura team has tested more than 100 samples to ensure the paint’s resistance to outdoor conditions such as salt, scratches and chemical reactions. The current thickness tested is 120 microns, about six times more than conventional automotive paint.By reducing reliance on air conditioning systems, cooling paint could reduce vehicle energy consumption, particularly for electric vehicles, where the impact of the air conditioning system on range is significant.
Source: www.autoplus.fr
