While I must admit that this is not a color I would personally choose, the new Prius offers an interesting alternative. In an attempt to improve fuel economy without changing any of the mechanical components, Toyota realized that they needed to consider all of the electrical needs for the vehicle. During summer months, air conditioning can cut fuel economy by up to 25%!
Toyota will be introducing special solar reflective paints in the latest model of the Prius. The special paint uses titanium dioxide particles which do not contain carbon black. This reflection of the sun's rays can keep your car up to 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Farenheit) cooler!
While this may sound like a minor difference, if multiplied across the fleet it could make a significant dent in global emissions:
Independent research indicates this is more than a marketing stunt. A 2011 study in the journal Applied Energyfound that a silver car with a solar reflective coating could reduce a car’s “thermal load” by up to 11 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to an otherwise identical black car. The silver car required 13 percent less air conditioning to cool the cabin to a baseline 77 degrees. Another study estimated that putting this kind of paint on every passenger car in Japan could cut CO2 emissions by 210,000 tons a year (the country produces about 1.4 billion tons of emissions annually).
Pair the paint with related tech like infrared-reflecting windows, and the effects are amplified. When the DOE tested a Cadillac STS with infrared-reflective glass (offered by automakers including Mercedes, Volkswagen, and Volvo) and solar reflective paint, it found the car’s cooling demands dropped by 30 percent (from 5.7 to 4.0 kW).
Here is the link to the full article: Toyota’s Lime Green Paint May Be Ugly, But It Can Cut Gas Bills | WIRED
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