Could Your Car Paint Be an Energy Saver?
Everybody has their favorite car color. But a new paint could have you changing your mind for a reason you didn’t expect.
Written by Andrew Koole
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
We don’t think of paint affecting the function of a car. People choose colors based on preference, price, and at most, how easy it will be to keep the vehicle looking
clean
. Mileage never enters the conversation. All that might change soon, thanks to a research team from Purdue University in Indiana. The team has produced the whitest paint the world has ever seen. They see the “color” as an energy-saving tool for fighting
climate change
. The breakthrough is too new to have been tested on any cars yet, but experts speculate the paint could increase EV range by as much as 60 miles.
How could white paint save energy for EVs?
The goal of the Purdue University team was to make the most reflective paint possible. White absorbs light and heat less than any color, and so the search for the whitest white began.
CarBuzz
says the team’s final product reflects 98.1% of the sun’s radiation, absorbing less heat than it emits. Any surface covered by the paint ends up being cooler than its environment. With engine cooling and air conditioning taking up so much of a car’s energy, it’s easy to see how this whitest white could help conserve a lot of an electric car’s battery charge.
Automakers already use the blackest of blacks for the same reason. BMW’s X6 was the first model offered in Vantablack, a paint designed to absorb heat across the whole vehicle rather than by the engine and cabin. The new white is expected to make a much bigger difference.
Other energy-saving innovations for automakers
Heat isn’t the only thing draining energy from EVs. Weight and wind resistance also lower battery range, and manufacturers are working to reduce the impact of both factors.
Lightweight components were already entering the auto market before EVs really took off, but
Assembly
says materials like aluminum, carbon-fiber composite, and high-strength steel are becoming more common as automakers try to increase the range of their electric fleets.The sleek profiles of
Teslas
and Asparks are not simply a stylistic choice either. Their low centers of gravity and smooth edges help these cars cut through the air more easily. The less resistance their motors need to fight against, the more juice is left in the battery after the ride.EV ownership costs
More often than not, owning an electric car means buying a charger as well. This adds to the initial investment at first, but it actually saves you money in the long run, especially as gas prices continue to rise.
That said, the cost of ownership for an EV is usually more than that of a gas-powered vehicle. Electric cars are, on average, more expensive off the lot. Most of them also fall under luxury status for
car insurance
companies too, which means that more often than not, rates are higher.But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to save on a powertrain transition. Many insurance providers offer exclusive discounts to EV owners, and many drivers can find other ways to bring their rates down.
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