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automotive coatings

13 Things to Know About Vantablack Car Paint

Vantablack coatings can help control stray light in vehicle components, but Surrey NanoSystems says its documented automotive coating is not suitable for a car-body finish.

By ThatPainter Team 4 min read
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Can you paint a car with Vantablack? Not as an ordinary whole-car finish. Surrey NanoSystems’ 2019 automotive datasheet says its S-VIS coating is not suitable for an exterior or interior car-body finish and is not resistant to direct impact or abrasion. Automotive Vantablack coatings are intended mainly for selected components where suppressing stray light matters, such as camera shields, head-up displays, LiDAR, and exterior lighting.

1. Vantablack is a brand, not one universal black paint

Vantablack is a Surrey NanoSystems coating brand. The company says it created the original material in 2012 using vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, but the name now covers distinct product families: VB 100 carbon-nanotube metamaterials, paint-like VB 200 products, and carbon-nanotube-free VB 300 products. Performance and intended use depend on the specific formulation; a claim about one product should not be applied to every Vantablack coating. Surrey NanoSystems’ product overview

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2. Automotive applications are about controlling stray light

In vehicle systems, very dark coatings can help reduce unwanted reflections that interfere with optical equipment. Surrey NanoSystems’ automotive materials identify S-VIS for head-up display (HUD) systems, LiDAR, and exterior lighting. They list VBx2 for camera shields, HUD systems, exterior lighting, and aesthetic applications. These are component or controlled-use applications; they do not establish that either coating is a practical full-body finish.

3. The automotive datasheet rules out a body finish

Surrey NanoSystems’ version 009 automotive performance datasheet, carrying a 2019 copyright, explicitly says the coating is not suitable as an external or internal car-body finish. It also says the coating is not resistant to direct impact or abrasion. That limitation matters on a car: body panels face road debris, contact, washing, and routine handling that an optical component may not.

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4. Its test figures are product- and method-specific

The 2019 Surrey NanoSystems automotive sheet reports an approximate coating thickness of 200 μm, a 99.55% average fog number under SAE J1756, and UV exposure resistance greater than SAE J2412. These are manufacturer-reported results tied to that datasheet and its stated tests—not independent comparisons, universal figures for every Vantablack series, or guarantees for a particular vehicle. Automotive performance datasheet

5. Environmental resistance does not mean everyday toughness

The automotive datasheet describes resistance to humidity and wetting, but not to solvents, strong alkaline or acidic liquids, direct impact, or abrasion. Those properties address different stresses. A coating may withstand the specified moisture conditions and still be unsuitable for a surface exposed to impacts, scrubbing, cleaning chemicals, or wear.

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6. “Vantablack car” does not necessarily mean a Vantablack-painted car

The phrase can refer to a vehicle with selected Vantablack-coated parts, or it may be used loosely for a car finished in another ultra-black coating. Unless the particular product and application are identified, the phrase alone does not show that an entire vehicle is coated with a named Vantablack formulation.

7. Application is a specialist commercial process

Surrey NanoSystems’ automotive presentation describes three routes: the company coats customer parts at its UK facility; customers can purchase VBx2 in bulk and apply it at their own facilities using conventional spray-gun technology after specialist training; and licensing may be possible for high-volume production. These are industrial routes, not evidence of a consumer repainting service or a do-it-yourself kit. The presentation also associates S-VIS with vacuum post-spray processing, underscoring that application depends on the product and process. Surrey NanoSystems product and automotive information

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8. Vantablack 310 is a separate product with its own handling requirements

Vantablack 310 has a 2025 manufacturer datasheet specifying industrial and commercial use and requiring trained personnel to handle and apply it. The sheet directs users to the product safety data sheet and cautions that its data may change and does not replace application-specific testing. Do not assume its instructions or properties apply to S-VIS, VBx2, or another product. Surrey NanoSystems product information

9. Distribution news does not create a consumer paint option

On January 28, 2026, Ellsworth Adhesives and Surrey NanoSystems announced that Ellsworth would distribute Vantablack 310 and other ultra-black coatings worldwide, with support for manufacturers planning applications and supply. That announcement supports describing Ellsworth as a distribution partner for manufacturers; it does not establish an ordinary consumer purchase route or a whole-car coating service. Ellsworth Adhesives’ announcement

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10. It is not an ordinary paint-shop purchase

The documented automotive access routes center on coated parts, bulk supply with training, and possible high-volume licensing. The available information does not establish an Amazon listing or a retail product intended for repainting a personal car. A product name appearing in a search is not enough to verify that the material is suitable, authorized, or available for that use.

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11. The Vantablack name has usage restrictions

Surrey NanoSystems’ sale terms reserve its intellectual-property and trademark rights and restrict how buyers may use the Vantablack mark. Use the full product designation—such as Vantablack VBx2 or Vantablack 310—when identifying a specific product. A different black coating should not be represented as Vantablack or as equivalent to a particular Vantablack series. Surrey NanoSystems terms and conditions

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12. Evaluate any proposed coating by the job it must do

If you are assessing an ultra-black coating for a vehicle component, compare the named formulation and intended function rather than relying on the word “black.” Useful questions include:

  • Is the goal to control stray light in an optical component, or to finish an exposed body panel?
  • What substrate and application process does the product documentation specify?
  • What optical performance was measured, and under which test method?
  • What does the documentation establish about impact, abrasion, cleaning chemicals, moisture, and UV exposure?
  • Is supply and application available for your use case, and what training or processing is required?

Results such as fogging figures are meaningful only alongside the product designation and test method; unlike measurements should not be treated as directly comparable.

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13. A dramatic appearance is not proof of automotive durability

Ultra-black materials can look striking in controlled displays or on protected components, but optical darkness and bodywork durability are separate requirements. The manufacturer’s own automotive datasheet draws that distinction: it reports optical and environmental test information while ruling out the documented coating as a car-body finish. For a vehicle appearance project, choose a finish specifically documented for exposed automotive bodywork rather than assuming an optical coating will survive it.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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