Nissan is currently testing out a prototype that it says could make car washes a relic of the past. The test car benefits from a new nano-paint treatment that repels dirt and grime. The automaker is putting the car through the dirty wringer to see how well it holds up in the real world.
Not only can car washes be time-consuming and/or expensive, they are a short-term solution. How many times do you roll that dripping, glistening car out of the car wash parking lot only to hit a muddy puddle or rainstorm within the first day or two?
Nissan says it is the first automaker to apply a super-hydrophobic, oleophobic industrial treatment called Ultra-Ever Dry to a vehicle body. The treatment is designed to repel all water-based and some oil-based liquids using a protective top layer of air. When a car runs through a muddy puddle, the treatment will purportedly prevent that mud and road grit from sticking to the body, keeping it car wash-fresh.
Nissan Europe has applied the Ultra-Ever Dry to a test Note and says that it's performed well in rain, spray, frost, sleet and standing water. It plans to continue testing the car in a variety of conditions over the next few months.
Ultra-Ever Dry launched in 2012 and is sold and marketed by Florida-based Ultratech International. The company staged a "phase II" launch earlier this year and says that it's improved the formula, pricing and distribution. It demonstrates the treatment being used for all kinds of applications, from clothing and footwear to building materials. In addition to repelling liquid itself, it can be used for related purposes such as anti-icing and anti-bacterial treatments.
Nissan is not currently considering introducing the treatment as a standard in its line-up. Instead, it sees the opportunity to offer the coating as an aftermarket option.
The first video below shows the Ultra-Ever Dry treatment being put to the test on the Nissan Note. The second video is one of the latest from Ultratech, showing it in a variety of other applications.
Source: Nissan
