Here’s a thought: What if you never had to wash your car? Just think of the time and money that would no longer need to be devoted to this task, let alone the water saved in an increasingly water-starved world. That’s the concept being forwarded by Nissan through an electric LEAF sporting a special superhydrophobic and oleophobic paint designed to repel water and oils. Marketed by UltraTech International, Ultra-Ever Dry self-cleaning paint works by creating a layer of air between the car’s finish and an often hostile outside environment. The net effect is keeping standing water and road spray from messing up the car’s surface.
Will we see this anytime soon? It does appear that Nissan is taking this seriously, and the paint has been undergoing testing by engineers at Nissan Technical Center Europe. While there are no plans to offer Nissan models with the special paint, the automaker says it may make the paint treatment available as a future aftermarket option.