PPG Launches Retroreflective Powder Coating With Lyft

PPG (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) announces that it is providing the world’s first commercial retroreflective powder coating to Lyft for use on e-bikes in the company’s Divvy bike-share program to increase cyclist visibility. The partnership reportedly represents the debut of retroreflective e-bikes in the United States.

Designed to reflect maximum light back to its source, PPG’s Envirocron Lum coating is a proprietary and patent-pending breakthrough technology. While liquid-based retroreflective coatings are commonly used to increase the visibility of pavement markings and street signs,PPG Envirocron Lum coating is the first-ever retroreflective powder coating.

Lyft’s pilot program for its new high-visibility e-bikes debuted in the Bay Area in California in June 2021 and expanded to Chicago, Illinois, in December. It launched in New York City earlier this year. Following the debut of the program, Time magazine recognized Lyft’s retroreflective e-bike as one of “The Best Inventions of 2021.”

Lyft’s new fleet of e-bikes are coated with an Abel Gray finish, which is a tribute to the late Abel Lopez, a Lyft engineer who was struck and killed by a vehicle while riding his bicycle in October 2020.

According to the company, the genesis of PPG’s Envirocron Lum coatings technology is rooted in nature, inspired by the reflective properties of deer’s eyes. Using a formulation with embedded glass beads, the single-layer coating refracts light and retroreflects it directly back to a vehicle’s driver to enhance visibility.

The coating delivers a non-solvent solution with high transfer efficiency. It provides exceptional scratch and mar resistance for the e-bikes to withstand a high volume of riders and meet Lyft’s goal for a durable and sustainable solution.

Powder coatings such as PPG Envirocron Lum coating are part of the company’s commitment to innovate sustainable solutions. PPG says it strives to achieve 40% of sales from products and processes that have improved sustainability by 2025.

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PPG also recently showcased other innovations to media at its production and R&D facility in Amsterdam. The event focused on advancements in three key areas – sustainability, efficiency and mobility – reflecting the company’s goals of helping customers lower costs, reduce their environmental footprint and support the global shift to electric vehicles (EVs).

Recent PPG innovations highlighted during the event include:

• PPG Corachar battery fire protection coatings for EVs reduce weight, increase battery performance and support passenger and first-responder safety in case of a fire.
• PPG Mavis digital color styling platform, which assists automotive designers to accelerate the process of creating new colors and effects for their latest vehicles using realistic 3D modeling.
• PPG Solaron Blue Protection UV+ blocking technology, which provides enhanced and durable protection for aircraft windows against ultraviolet exposure and high-energy visible blue light, helping address a key concern for the aviation industry.
• PPG Spraymaster system, a portable sprayer specifically designed for exterior woodwork. It is reportedly up to 50% faster than brush/roller application and provides quick drying and excellent opacity in one layer.
• PPG SigmaGlide 1290, a silicone-based marine coating that prevents fouling species from attaching to a vessel without the use of biocides. Its slippery surface also is said to reduce power demand by up to 20%, helping the shipping industry meet key sustainability goals.
• PPG Moonwalk system, an automated refinish paint mixing system that saves labor time, reduces waste and transforms the refinish mixing room into a clean and safe environment.
• PPG iSense exterior can coatings, which protect cans from damage and provide sensory surface effects, such as a textured feel or visual effects like matte and satin. This is said to enable brands to produce unique designs to improve product differentiation on the shelf.
• Exterior masonry coatings by PPG, which help alleviate the problems faced by painters having to handle heavy cans. They reduces the weight of the paint by up to 30% compared to standard coatings while maintaining the same performance.