BMW Has Developed A Color-Changing Auto
by AutoExpert | 6 January, 2022
Change the outside color of a car with a button? It's not fantasy. The iX Flow concept from BMW indicates that at least one carmaker is attempting to make it happen. The iX Flow, which made its debut at CES this year, can't yet shift from black to red, but it's a decent first step on the path.
The iX Flow's color-changing exterior is made possible by E Ink, the same technology that enables e-readers like the Amazon Kindle's paper-like displays. BMW wrapped the iX with a unique covering made up of millions of microcapsules of E Ink that are as thin as human hair.
Negatively charged white pigments coexist with positively charged black pigments in each capsule. The white or black pigments gather at the surface of the microcapsules as a result of an electrical field. Changing the car's color from white to gray may assist in heat or cooling the cabin depending on the weather.
Electrophoretic technology is also energy efficient, as the current only has to run when the color is changed. BMW promotes the technology as a method for owners to represent themselves in new ways. BMW hasn't said if the technology would ever be used in a production vehicle, although it would be a nice feature to charge for.
