Nissan Leaf gets glow-in-the-dark paint

NISSAN CREATES ONE-OFF WITH SECRET PAINT TO PROMOTE SOLAR PANEL EV CHARGING

    So many EVs are so small and quiet that seeing and hearing them has become a safety issue. But that's not what motivated Nissan to create a pure-electric Leaf EV with paint that glows in the dark.

    It works like this: the Leaf is covered in a spray-applied coating that absorbs UV rays during the daytime, allowing it to glow at night for between eight and ten hours. The coating was developed by inventor Hamish Scott and is said to be made up of entirely organic materials, including a rare earth compound called Strontium Aluminate, which is biologically and chemically inert and is odorless. This type of coating could last for 25 years if it were offered on cars commercially, according to Nissan.

    As for Nissan's reason for creating this car, it's to promote the use of conventional home-based solar panels to charge pure-electrics like the Leaf, like some owners are already doing.

    That's all fine and everthing, but the video does make a pretty good case for offering this type of paint commercially, as it would make the small Leaf easier to spot in a parking lot at night and increase pedestrian safety.

   Unfortunately, Nissan does not have current plans to offer this paint on the Leaf or its other vehicles, though glow-in-the-dark car wraps are available from aftermarket manufacturers.