Japan’s Nissan develops ‘cold paint’ for its cars to keep drivers cool
TOKYO — Nissan on Tuesday introduced what it calls “cool paint” to keep people inside vehicles cool, though the coating is six times thicker, making marketing still a challenge.
The company’s announcement Tuesday comes at a time when Japan is experiencing record-breaking temperatures.
Nissan Motor Co. tested the paint on vehicles driving around Tokyo’s Haneda airport, where there are many unshaded areas that make it a good place to evaluate the technology.
Vehicles with the special paint looked like regular cars, but were much cooler to the touch.
According to Nissan, the cold paint lowered the temperature of the cars’ roof panel by 12 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit) and the interior by 5 degrees Celsius (41 F).
Cooling materials are already widely used in buildings and other objects. Cooler cars can reduce the use of air conditioning and ease the toll of heat on electric vehicle engines and batteries.
Toyota Motor Corp. has also experimented with paints that reduce cabin temperatures, focusing primarily on colors that refract the sun’s rays.
Nissan’s cool paint reflects sunlight better and also creates electromagnetic waves that block the rays, redirecting energy away from vehicles.
Nissan’s paint was developed in collaboration with Radi-Cool, a Chinese company that has developed a film, fabric and coating that cuts heat. Radi-Cool works with several other Japanese companies to offer hats and umbrellas that provide a cooling sensation. Nissan is the only Japanese automaker to partner with Radi-Cool.
Susumu Miura, head of Nissan’s research center, said the electromagnetic waves emitted by the paint have no significant negative effects on people’s health. Such waves are all around us, he added.
“My dream is to create cooler cars without consuming energy,” he said.
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