Nissan is testing paint that can literally make your car cooler

The sun and parked cars make for a combination that can sear the meat of your skin. It’s a problem all car owners know too well and is exacerbated by extra hot days in the summer season.  

Aftermarket items like dark tint and deployable windshield covers can help reflect heat off cars by virtue of limiting the amount of sunlight entering the cabin. These solutions do have their limitations and downsides though, car owners are not allowed to surpass a legal limit of darkness, and sun visors, are well, tedious to deploy. Nissan, and partner company Radi-Cool, are also looking to reduce the impact of the sun on our vehicle’s ambient temperature. The answer, they think, lies in innovating automotive paint.

The paint functions similarly to thermal insulating coatings used in industrial settings. According to Nissan, this paint incorporates metamaterial, a synthetic composite material not commonly found in nature. Like ceramic window films, it helps prevent excessive cabin temperature increases from direct sunlight. With a cooler cabin, the car’s A/C can more easily achieve your desired temperature, reducing energy consumption for both internal combustion engines (ICE) and electric motors.

Nissan conducted testing in November 2023. The 12-month feasibility trial took place at Tokyo International Air Terminal in Haneda. Collaborating with Japan Airport Terminal Co., Ltd., Radi-Cool Japan, and All Nippon Airways (ANA) airport services, Nissan applied its cool paint to a Nissan NV100 service vehicle operated by ANA.

During testing, Nissan discovered that when parked side by side under the sun, a vehicle with Nissan’s cool paint has shown up to a 12-degree Celsius reduction in exterior surface temperature and an interior that's up to five degrees Celsius cooler compared to a vehicle with traditional automotive paint.

Radiant cooling paint has been a thing for a while but they’re only typically used for buildings. Using these types of paint for cars is tricky because they have to be used with paint rollers due to their thick consistency. This new formula is designed for use with spray guns and is compatible with clear topcoats. 

Despite being six times thicker than a standard automotive finish, it delivers impressive cooling properties thanks to two key microstructure components. The first component reflects near-infrared rays, a common method for reducing heat. The second component, where real scientific innovation occurs, generates electromagnetic waves that don’t just reflect the sun's rays but actively counteract them, helping to prevent heat transfer to other parts of the car.

Nissan and Radicool are still conducting tests to produce thinner versions of the paint for commercial use. Dr. Susumu Miura, senior manager, and expert at the Advanced Materials and Processing Laboratory, Nissan Research Center thinks there is potential for this innovation, especially for light commercial vehicles like vans, trucks, and ambulances that spend most of the day on the road. With enough time, maybe we’ll see these “cool” cars on the road in the future. 

Has Nissan’s new development got you interested in its vehicles? Take a look at the Nissan Car Guide on AutoDeal.com.ph for a deep dive into Nissan’s local lineup of vehicles. If you see a car you like, simply hit the “Get Quote” button to connect with dozens of sales agents near you.