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| BMW shows a car that can change its color |
German automaker BMW presented its new color-changing coating technology at CES 2022 in Las Vegas.
Drawing on e-ink, the electronic paper technology used in e-readers, the color-changing coating technology is making its first appearance on a concept version of the BMW iX being presented at CES.
The company uses this technology to enable people to express their personality through the design of their cars. This is how they want it, both outside and inside the car.
In this car, you can instantly change the color from black to white or add something similar to the racing stripes in the middle.
The coating of the BMW iX Flow e-ink contains millions of microcapsules, the diameter of which is the same as the thickness of a human hair.
Each of these microcapsules contains negatively charged white and positively charged black pigments.
Depending on the selected settings, stimulation by the electric field leads to the accumulation of white or black pigments on the surface of the microcapsules and thus gives the body the desired color.
However, don't expect to see this at your local dealer anytime soon. The automaker said it was just an advanced research and design project.
The innovative color scheme can be operated with the push of a button. Colors are currently limited to white, black and gray. Despite the limited color, the company emphasized that doing so could affect the efficiency of its electric vehicles.
BMW launches color changing e-ink technology
White roofs reflect much more sunlight than black roofs, the company said. By changing the exterior color to a lighter color, the warmth in the car and in the passenger compartment from solar radiation and the outside temperature can be reduced implicitly. In cold weather, darker colors help the car absorb more heat from the sun.
The concept of customization is currently very popular in the automotive industry. Although most efforts have been focused on interior settings and software for saving the driver's preferred vehicle parameters, BMW introduces the concept of customization in the vehicle's appearance.
The company has tested the technology in various weather conditions and the results are very good. BMW said: "The digital experience will not be limited to future products. The integration of real and virtual is increasing. With the BMW iX Flow we are bringing the body of the car to life."