The BMW iX Flow at 2022 CES can change shade in an instant

BMW has showcased the iX Flow that can instantly change colors to one’s preference at this year’s Consumer Technology Association (then known as Consumer Electronics Show).

The Munich-based automaker said that the BMW IX Flow featuring E Ink presented at the event uses digitization to “adapt the exterior of a vehicle to different situations and individual wishes” at the driver's prompting.

BMW AG Development Member of the Board of Management Frank Weber said that "digital experiences will no longer be limited to displays in the future. “There will be more and more melding of the real and virtual. With the BMW iX Flow, we are bringing the car body to life," Weber was quoted as saying.

The fluid color changes are made possible by a specially-developed body wrap tailored specifically to the contours of the all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle from BMW. When stimulated by electrical signals, the electrophoretic technology (which employs the same feature used in eReaders) allows the vehicle to change color as desired.

The surface coating of the BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink contains many millions of microcapsules, with a diameter equivalent to the thickness of a human hair. Each of these microcapsules contains negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments.

The German premium vehicle manufacturer said that the instant color change has numerous benefits: giving the driver the power to express personality every time they ride a car as well as contribution to wellness in the interior and efficiency of the vehicle.

Aside from that, BMW shared that the E Ink technology itself is extremely energy efficient. “Unlike displays or projectors, the electrophoretic technology needs absolutely no energy to keep the chosen color state constant. Current only flows during the short color changing phase,” the company explained.

While this might be a welcome development to many, we can’t help but ask: will this result to problems in terms of vehicle registration on cars that have this technology (should this be offered in the future)?

Photos from BMW

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