2009 Nissan 370z Nismo Coupe 2-door 3.7l on 2040-cars

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Nissan tests 'self-cleaning' paint on Leaf models in Europe

Once upon a time, self-cleaning ovens were all the rage. Now, Nissan thinks the concept may apply to its vehicles. And the Japanese vehicle maker is testing it out on some of its Leaf battery-electric vehicles Europe, no less. Nissan says its trying out what's called a "superhydrophobic and oleophobic" paint on Leaf battery-electric vehicles for testing and demonstration purposes. The paint, produced by UltraTech International Inc., is designed to repel splats of liquid such as oil or standing water away from the car's surface. The paint, called Ultra-Ever Dry, does this by creating what Nissan says is a layer of air around the vehicle surface. We imagine there's a detailed chemical explanation for this phenomenon that would better explain this process, but that's the best way we can explain it. Right now, Nissan is pitching the product testing as a way to further the Leaf's reputation as what the automaker calls "the world's cleanest car." That said, the paint hasn't been tested in North America, and no plans have been made to add the feature as either a standard or optional goodie for the battery-electric vehicle. Still, go ahead and check out Nissan's press release on the magic paint below. Nissan Creates "World's Cleanest Car" – a Zero Emissions Nissan LEAF with Self-Cleaning Nano-Paint Technology For LEAF owners who never qualify for gas stations' "Free Car Wash with Purchase" offers, this technical study might be the perfect solution July 09, 2014 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--What do you get when you combine the world's best-selling zero emission vehicle with innovative paint technology that repels mud, rain and everyday dirt? Answer: A very special Nissan LEAF electric vehicle that might just be the "world's cleanest car." "No matter what the road throws at this LEAF, its Ultra-Ever Dry® exterior coating will throw right back" Created to demonstrate its potential use in future production vehicles, this Nissan LEAF's exterior was treated with a specially engineered superhydrophobic and oleophobic paint that is designed to repel water and oils. The "self-cleaning" paint, called Ultra-Ever Dry®, creates a protective layer of air between the paint and environment, effectively stopping standing water and road spray from creating dirty marks on the LEAF's surface. Nissan is one of the first carmakers to apply this technology to a vehicle.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary | Autoblog Podcast #600

In this, the 600th episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. They've been driving the Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary edition, Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio and Buick Enclave, and they're pretty excited about at least two of them. Then they talk about the Subaru Forester in their long-term garage. Finally, they spend a listener's money on a used car. Autoblog Podcast #600 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2020 Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio 2020 Buick Enclave Long-term Subaru Forester Update Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Nissan promising autonomous car production by 2020

Nissan will bring the autonomous car to consumers by the end of this decade. The announcement was made by CEO Carlos Ghosn at the company's US headquarters in Irvine, CA. Nissan has already begun construction of a dedicated proving ground for the self-driving cars in Japan, with completion targeted for the end of 2014.
Teaming with MIT, Stanford, Oxford and others, Nissan has already outfitted Leaf EVs with the Autonomous Drive (Nissan's brand name for the tech), a suite of new technologies developed from the brand's existing Safety Shield technology. The current iteration of Autonomous Drive uses the Around-View Monitoring system and laser scanners to analyze the environment, while artificial intelligence systems have been installed to help navigate and operate in a changing environment.
While it's easy to say that Nissan will bring the technology to market within the next six or seven years, it's more difficult to say at what price Autonomous Drive will be available. Most remarkable about all of this is Nissan's claim that self-driving cars will be both commercially viable and available at "realistic prices for consumers." It's expecting Autonomous Drive to be available across its range within two vehicle generations.