Yamaha has developed technology that makes vehicles glow in the dark without requiring a power source. 

The new luminous coating will see the light of day on a battery-powered motorbike which is due to go on sale in May, Yamaha Motor Co Ltd announced yesterday in Tokyo.

The Japanese manufacturer has chosen to emphasise the technology's aesthetic appeal rather than its potential visibility and safety benefits.

Yamaha also pointed out that the luminous coating, which is powered by stored solar energy, will be suitable for bicycles.

"The technology enables the exterior to give a more vividly stereoscopic impression of the three-dimensional shape of any surface treated with the film, " Kyodo News reported from Japan, citing information supplied by Yamaha. 

The first product to use the new technology, a special version of Yamaha's EC-02 electric motorbike, will be launched on 10 May with a price tag of around $1,850.

Photographs show a large central section of the bike's body glowing with a pale blue-green light. The 47kg mini-motorbike has a range of 40km, a top speed of 30km/h, and a battery recharge time of six hours, according to Akihabara News. 

Owners can charge up the glowing exterior by keeping the vehicle outside during daylight hours. However, after darkness falls, the light emitted by the luminous coating will gradually fade.

The technology is based on a luminous film which is heated and then pressed tightly onto the surface of the vehicle's bodywork using a vacuum process.

Yamaha said that it had to overcome problems with long-term durability and adhesion to make the new coating practical for use on vehicle exteriors.

Yamaha Motor is a member of the Yamaha group of companies, which also makes audio-visual products and musical instruments.