AMSTERDAM: Nissan has blazed a trail by driving its unique glow-in-the-dark zero-emission LEAF along the world's first glow-in-the-dark motorway in Oss, the Netherlands.
The innovative Smart Highway project was conceived by designer Daan Roosegaarde.
His idea: Help guide drivers in the dark while saving energy that might otherwise be used in street lighting.
A 600-meter stretch of the N329 highway – a major transport link that runs through the city of Oss – has been upgraded with glowing lines that absorb light during the day and glow for eight hours at night.
"The glowing lines on the Smart Highway replace standard street lighting to reduce electrical energy consumption," said Roosegaarde.
"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."
The road's photo-luminescent strips complement the Nissan LEAF's innovative finish.
The spray-applied coating absorbs UV energy and other visible radiation during daylight hours and glows for between eight and 10 hours when the sun goes down.
While glowing car paint is already available, as are glow-in-the-dark car wraps, the bespoke, ultraviolet-energized paint created especially for Nissan is unique thanks to its secret formula.
It contains a solid, odorless Rare Earth Metal called Strontium Aluminate.
