Chevrolet's full speed with hi-tech sun screen
2011-09-07
- Chevy engineers create innovative UV-resistant clear gloss paint for cars that shields carbon fiber components from harmful sunlight
- Chevrolet offers sun protection advice to drivers to help protect cars from UV sunlight
Zurich. Summer is the perfect excuse to make the most of warm days and long evenings to explore the open road, get together with friends and family or go on vacation.
While people will carefully break open the sun screen at the beach to protect their skin from sunburn and guard against the sun's ultraviolet radiation, it may come as a surprise that iconic car maker Chevrolet has developed a hi-tech sunscreen for cars.
Beauty is skin deep
In a break-through industry-first, Chevrolet engineers have developed a hi-tech "sunscreen" for cars that protects exposed-weave carbon fiber on exterior surfaces from UV rays.
"Not many people realize that, like human skin, the paintwork of your car burns when exposed to the sun," said Mark Voss, senior design engineer for the Corvette ZR1, "but rather than turning red or tanning, UV rays degrade the protective outer clear coat that protects it from scratches.
"In extreme cases, it peels, much in the same way as your skin a few days after you've been to the beach and you're sunburnt. Not only does the color fade, but it creates lasting damage to the vehicle."
Automotive paintwork is designed to be extremely thin and every time the surface is exposed to harsh UV rays some of the paint's compound is broken down or even removed. Most original finishes are tougher on the outer surface than the underneath layers so the outer layer needs to be preserved as far as possible.
Labor of love
Voss and his team worked for three years to develop a glossy, UV-resistant paint that not only shields carbon fiber components from chips and scratches, but harmful sunlight as well.
"Everyone said it couldn't be done, and we were crazy for trying," adds Mark. "Automotive paint industry experts said it was nearly impossible and that painting over carbon fiber was the only option."
"Our challenge was finding a way to give our customers the exposed-weave carbon fiber look they demanded. The UV coating looks glossy, has similar UV properties and works on the same principle as NIVEA sunscreen by creating a protective barrier that guards against sunburn and premature ageing over the lifetime of the vehicle," concludes Voss.
Protecting your car from UV rays
The paint finish on a car's body is the area most affected by the elements and general wear and tear. Protecting the finish of your car paint is a vital step in keeping your car looking great and lasting a long time.
Mark Voss has put together some handy regular car care tips that will help not only reduce ageing and minimize wear and tear on external and internal surfaces but also protect your car from harmful UV rays:
- Think about where you park your car each day – is it in direct sunlight? If so, why not try to find a shaded area that is not exposed to the sun's rays during the hottest part of the day from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- One of the best things you can do to protect the car's paint finish is to keep it washed as road grime, rain and sand are all dangerous to your paint. By keeping it clean and washing it often you keep the dirt off of the paint – even spraying your car with water from a hose or tap helps.
- If you can, wax your car once a month to gently remove harmful surface contaminants and apply a tough, glossy, protective barrier to preserve paintwork from harsh environments and UV rays. Never wax in direct sunlight, as this will cause the wax to bake and will thus deteriorate and stop being effective.
- If you are able to keep your car in a garage, carport or under a car cover, do so, especially, if you live near the ocean or in areas of high humidity. These climates degrade car paint faster than anywhere else.
Watch the story behind Corvette UV sun screen on YouTube.
About Chevrolet
Chevrolet is General Motors' largest global brand with annual sales of about 4 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. It is the fourth biggest global car brand in terms of sales and also one of the fastest growing brands in the world. Chevrolet cars combine passion, bold design and practicality. They provide outstanding value for money. After re-launching the brand in Europe in 2005, Chevrolet more than doubled its sales to over 500,000 in 2008. In 2010, Chevrolet grew its market share in Europe to 2.5 percent, selling 477,194 cars. Chevrolet has a network of more than 2,700 dealers and service points in Europe. The Chevrolet line-up includes the Spark city car, the small Aveo, the compact four-door Cruze, the Captiva SUV and the legendary Corvette sports car. In 2011, Chevrolet is launching seven new cars: the all-new Orlando family van, the new Captiva SUV, the Corvette Grand Sport Coupé, the all-new five-door and four-door Aveo, the five-door Cruze, the Camaro coupé and convertible and the award-winning extended-range Volt electric car. Chevrolet's biggest markets in Europe are Russia, Italy, Germany, Spain, France and Turkey. Established in the U.S. by Swiss émigré Louis Chevrolet in 1911, the brand is celebrating its centenary in 2011. More information on Chevrolet can be found at www.chevroleteurope.com or media.chevroleteurope.com.
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