NEWS COPY – WITH PICTURES AND VIDEO
This is the moment an electric car became the first glow-in-the-dark vehicle to be driven across the world’s first glow-in-the-dark motorway
The unique Nissan Leaf has a special coating which soaks up UV lighting during the day and glows for up to ten hours after dark.
Nissan, which builds the Leaf in Sunderland, took the car to Holland for a spin on the Smart Highway.
The 600-metre stretch of road, in Oss, was conceived by designer Daan Roosegaarde to help guide drivers in the dark, while saving energy that might otherwise be used in street lighting.
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During the day the lines absorb light, helping it to glow for eight hours at night. As a result this increases visibility and safety.
Daan said: “The Glowing Lines on The Smart Highway replace standard street lighting to reduce electrical energy consumption.
“To have the world’s first glow-in-the-dark car on our road is a privilege and it mirrors goals that we want to achieve with our Smart Highway.”
Nissan says the unique paint, if they decided to introduce it to all cars, would last for 25 years.
The manufacturer had previously commissioned Surrey-based Pro-Teq to carry out the paint job to showcase how owners are using solar energy at home to charge their cars.
ENDS