Following a few weeks of initial teasers, BMW today unveiled its color-changing automobile at CES. The BMW iX Flow, as the German carmaker has named this test vehicle, is covered with what may be considered an e-paper-like material that BMW created in collaboration with E Ink.
Currently, the only color options we’re discussing are black and white (with a few gradations of grey in between), but that may change in the future. And because the electrophoretic technology in the iX Flow uses no energy after you’ve set up your favorite color and design, it is similar to how your Kindle’s screen uses no energy after the content has changed.
Obviously, the main goal here is to provide drivers more design alternatives for their vehicles. According to Stella Clarke, project manager for the BMW iX Flow incorporating E Ink, “this provides the driver the ability to convey different elements of their personality or even their enjoyment of change outwardly, and to redefine this each time they step into their car.” The vehicle then turns into an expression of many moods and situations in daily life, similar to fashion or the status updates on social media channels.
BMW is now simply demonstrating how the entire exterior of the car may change at once, but you could easily picture the equivalent of e-ink bumper stickers or — because this is the world we live in — full-sized advertisements on the side of the car.
BMW contends that there are further factors at play, though. On hot, bright days, perhaps drivers should choose for a light surface rather than a black, heat-absorbing one (or the other way round on cold days). According to the company’s announcement from today, “this minimizes the amount of energy the vehicle electrical system needs and with it also the car’s fuel or electricity consumption.” “Thus, changing the color of an all-electric vehicle to correspond with the weather can also aid in extending its range. The interior’s technology, for instance, may stop the dashboard from overheating.”
At the end of the day, that’s a wonderful bonus, but what the majority of people will really want is a car that can change colors like a supervillain. But they won’t be receiving it any time soon. There is currently no estimated time of arrival (ETA) for this; it is merely an experiment.
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Currently, the ocar can only switch between the colors of grey and white, but additional colors will be made accessible in the future.
The energy-saving nature of the color-changing capability makes this innovation even more intriguing. (Source: Twitter/BMW)
At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the German automaker BMW displayed a vehicle that changes color. The vehicle, known as the BMW iX Flow, uses “electronic ink technology,” which enables the exterior to be changed into different grey and white designs. An app could start the pattern change.
technical excellence. But what if the driver of the car changes colors and flees after a hit-and-run accident? If accessible, CCTVs and eyewitnesses will search for the earlier color automobile.
This is awful for the police. Think about chasing a red car that abruptly turned white on the next cctv. making it more difficult to find criminals.
The energy-saving nature of the color-changing capability makes this innovation even more intriguing. The ability to choose colors based on the light, in the opinion of Stella Clarke, a BMW research engineer, is one of the most thrilling aspects of owning a car that can change colors. Speaking during the concept car’s unveiling, she stated, “You could change the color to white today to reflect the sun’s rays on a hot, sunny day. You may paint it black to absorb heat on a chilly day.”
This BMW color-changing concept car will make you dizzy.
The GMC HUMMER EV is propelled by cutting-edge EV propulsion technology, which offers incredible off-road capability, exceptional on-road performance, and a thrilling driving experience.
The BMW Flow electric SUV concept can switch colors instantly, changing from white to gray or black and back again, just by pressing a button. Although it is limited to grayscale and even then lacks the nuance and depth of actual automotive paint, the impact is stunning.
The feat is executed with specially shaped wrapping that has been trimmed to fit the SUV’s body panels rather than paint. Similar electronic ink technology as that seen in electronic readers is used in the wrapping. Electric wiring was then linked to each area after the colored panels were carefully cut to match the contour of the SUV’s body panels.
Millions of microscopic capsules, each carrying negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments, are embedded in the panel surfaces. The various hues are produced by electric currents bringing one pigment or another to the top. The panels maintain their tone once the color change is finished without needing any additional electrical charge.
The SUV’s color can be uniformly applied or applied in various areas in various colors. Even the wheels themselves can change hue.
The BMW iX Flow concept was referred as as “an advanced research and design project” by Adrian van Hooydonk, head of design at BMW.
No intentions to incorporate this technology into a production car have been made public by BMW. However, the automaker did list a few benefits of being able to instantly alter a vehicle’s tone.
According to a statement from BMW, Stella Clarke, project leader for the iX Flow, “this allows the driver the chance to convey different elements of their personality or even their pleasure of change outwardly, and to redefine this each time they sit in their car.”
Second, it can increase the car’s comfort and fuel efficiency. A white body might reflect heat on hot days, keeping the cabin cooler and reducing the need for air conditioning. On the other hand, a dark body absorbs more heat, keeping the cabin comfortable on chilly days with less need for heating and ventilation.
The cost of body damage repairs, however, might be just as dramatic as the color effects if it were to go into production.
Does BMW actually have paint that changes color?
If you’ve ever struggled to choose a car’s color, BMW might offer the right vehicle for you. At the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the German automaker displayed its revolutionary color-changing paint technology, which has more in common with a Kindle than you might initially assume.
The color-changing paint technology is making its premiere on a concept version of the BMW iX that is being displayed at CES, relying on E Ink, the electronic paper technology used in e-readers, and the outdated Pebble watch.
A human hair’s thickness in terms of diameter and number of microcapsules per square inch make up the surface coating of the BMW iX Flow with E Ink. These microcapsules each contain negatively and positively charged black and white pigments. The desired shade of the car body is produced by either the white or the black pigments accumulating at the surface of the microcapsule in response to electrical field stimulation, depending on the setting selected.
Though the carmaker claims this is only a “advanced research and design initiative,” don’t hold your breath for seeing this at your neighborhood BMW dealership any time soon.
The novel paint job can be activated at the push of a button. White, black, and grey are the only colors available at the moment. BMW claims that despite the limited color options, it may have an impact on the effectiveness of its electric vehicles.
The manufacturer claims that a white surface reflects much more sunlight than a dark one. “By implication, altering the exterior to a light tint might minimize heating of the vehicle and passenger compartment as a result of bright sunshine and high outdoor temperatures.” Darker colors will help the car absorb more heat from the sun in cooler climates.
In the auto industry right now, “personalization” is a very popular notion. However, BMW is introducing the idea of personalization to the exterior of the vehicle, although the majority of the efforts are concentrated on the interior, modifying the software to recall the driver’s favorite vehicle settings.
Nobody knows for sure how resilient or weather-resistant this high-tech paint is. For instance, I doubt this would do well in a hailstorm. But disregard my advice. Changing color vehicle!
How does the color of the BMW iX flow change?
At the Consumer Electronics Show, the automaker BMW introduced an improved model of its electric iX SUV that can switch from black to white depending on the driver’s mood and how much electricity it uses.
The concept car, known as iX Flow, is covered in a type of “digital paper” that is also used to create the Kindle e-screen. reader’s
An electrical impulse can cause this to change color instantly, allowing the driver to match their vehicle to their particular style or the weather.
According to Stella Clarke, who oversaw the iX Flow project at BMW, “the vehicle then becomes a representation of varied moods and circumstances in daily life, similar to fashion or the status ads on social media channels.”
It might also be possible to increase the range of an electric vehicle by turning it heat-absorbing black in the winter and reflective white on sunny days.
The iX Flow, which BMW claims is “the first automobile in the world whose exterior color can be changed at the press of a button,” was unveiled at CES as part of a digital program live-streamed from Germany.
The traditional ink pigments used in the printing business are employed to operate the digital paper that was initially created by MIT Media Lab students and used to wrap the car.
Each sheet is made up of millions of microcapsules, each one roughly the width of a human hair and containing both positively and negatively charged black and white pigments.
The chosen color ink will travel to the capsule’s surface when these capsules are electrically stimulated, making it visible from the outside.
The digital paper, in contrast to standard screens, doesn’t emit light and only consumes power to change color, not to keep it that way.
Does Lamborghini make vehicles that can change color?
The new Lamborghini has a feature that lets you immediately change its color from the Key panel, helping you to customize it to your preferences.
How can I obtain colors from BMW Individual?
Your new BMW can be ordered through its Individual program in a wide range of stylish hues. Does the BMW M5 Competition’s normal seven-color palette not satisfy you? Make a call to Individual and choose one of the 90 hues it provides. Visit the “visualizer” page on the BMW Individual website to see all the colors. It has become your new go-to pass the time.
The visualizer is similar to BMW’s standard vehicle configurator, but with far more options. There are some excellent choices, such as the new M850i coupe, even though not every vehicle that BMW makes is offered here. View the Imola Red 8er down below. This was a widely-liked color for the E46 M3, and it suits the large coupe beautifully.
You might like an M4 Competition Package in Daytona Violet. This shade debuted on the E34 M5 and is offered for the E36 M3.
Last but not least, I wish BMW still offered a 5-Series wagon in the US after seeing this 540i Touring in British Racing Green.
I could spend the entire day thinking up new color combinations, as you can undoubtedly see, and if you’re not careful, so could you. When you have some free time, visit the BMW Individual visualizer.
Exists a car paint that can change color?
This TVR Tuscan Speed Six was painted in Japan using a ChromaFlair pigment called Maziora.
A pigment called ChromaFlair is used in paint systems, mainly for cars. Depending on the light source and viewing angle, the color of the paint changes when it is applied. It was developed at JDS Uniphase, and DuPont and PPG also employ it.