PPG, Lyft ‘glow’ together
PPG announced 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 represents the debut of retroreflective e-bikes in the United States.
“Designed to reflect maximum light back to its source, PPG Envirocron LUM coating is a proprietary and patent-pending breakthrough technology,” said PPG.
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, said the company.
The genesis of PPG’s Envirocron LUM coatings technology, said the firm, 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.
“PPG has been at the forefront of retroreflective powder coating technology for several years as part of our commitment to innovation and sustainability,” said Paul Bradley, PPG technical manager, industrial coatings.
The coating delivers a non-solvent solution with high transfer efficiency. It provides scratch and mar resistance for the e-bikes, said PPG, to withstand a high volume of riders and meet Lyft’s goal for a durable and sustainable solution.
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, Lopez, was struck and killed by a vehicle while riding his bicycle in October 2020.
“Until his untimely passing, Abel was a valued member of the Lyft family and was very passionate about our efforts to implement retroreflective technology into our e-bikes,” said Edgar Japitana, Lyft senior group manager, supplier industrialization engineering.
According to the National Safety Council, the number of preventable deaths from bicycle transportation increased 37% between 2010 and 2019, jumping from 793 annual incidents to 1,089.
“Improving cyclist safety is paramount, and we are so proud to memorialize Abel through our partnership with PPG and its Abel Gray coating named in his honor,” said Japitana.
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, in December. It launched in New York City earlier this year.
“We are proud to partner with Lyft in its efforts to produce high-visibility e-bikes as part of our shared commitment to enhance on-road safety,” said Bradley.
PPG, headquarters in Pittsburgh, operates and innovates in more than 75 countries and reported net sales of $16.8 billion in 2021.