Think of all the dirt and grime that get onto your vehicle every day. Now, think about it all not being there. No, you didn’t just go to the car wash. Your paint job repelled it.

At this year’s Chicago Auto Show, Nissan has a LEAF on display featuring a specially engineered “superhydrophobic” and “oleophobic” paint that repels water and oils. This “self-cleaning” paint, called Ultra-Ever Dry®, creates a protective layer of air between the paint and environment, effectively stopping water and road spray from leaving dirty marks on LEAF’s surface. Nissan is one of the first carmakers to apply this technology to a vehicle.

The coating, marketed and sold by UltraTech International Inc., has been in testing at the Nissan Technical Center in Europe. Testing has yielded positive results during car-dirtying events including rain, spray, frost, sleet and standing water with the technology creating an protective “umbrella of air” for the paint. Chocolate syrup squirted onto the hood rolls right off onto the floor and has been a crowd favorite during public demonstrations.

“The 100 percent electric LEAF provides the perfect canvas for this new, advanced paint technology,” said Pierre Loing, vice president, Product Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. “This is one LEAF that never has to stop at gas stations – not even for a car wash.”

image courtesy of Nissan