Remember a time when you saw a car changing colours at the push of a button on the TV and thought it was a little too far fetched for real-life application? Well, BMW is here to prove you wrong. 

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022, BMW showed off its new colour-changing paint technology. Named the E Ink, this technology isn’t new per se, as it is the electronic paper technology used in e-readers like Kindle. However, BMW has repurposed it as a colour-changing paint technology that allows you to effectively change the colour of your car whenever you feel like it. 

"The BMW iX Flow is an advanced research and design project and a great example of the forward-thinking that BMW is known for," said Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design.

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. Depending on the chosen setting, stimulation by means of an electrical field causes either the white or the black pigments to collect at the surface of the microcapsule, giving the car body the desired shade.

Basically, by applying a charge to the E Ink covering, the material flips the pigments it contains, moving between dark and light. This allows the BMW iX Flow to change its exterior colour at the press of a button. This ties in well with the concept of “personalization” for cars, especially when this allows drivers to personalize not only their interior, but also to the exterior of your vehicle. 

The innovative paint scheme can be triggered at the touch of a button. Right now, the colors are limited to white, black, and grey. But despite the constrained palette, BMW says it could have implications for the efficiency of its electric vehicles. BMW points out that colour changing could increase the efficiency of the car, with white reflecting heat from the sun, or darker shades absorbing more heat. 

“A white surface reflects a lot more sunlight than a black one,” the company says. “By implication, heating of the vehicle and passenger compartment as a result of strong sunlight and high outside temperatures can be reduced by changing the exterior to a light color.” In cooler weather, darker tones will help the vehicle to absorb more warmth from the sun.

However, just don’t expect to see this at your local BMW dealership anytime soon as this is merely an “advanced research and design project.” Further to that, how durable this high-tech paint is and whether it can withstand extreme weather is anyone’s guess. If you’ve ever felt indecisive about what colour vehicle to buy, a colour-changing car is definitely something that we can get behind here!

What do you think about this article? Are you excited to see this technology happen? Let us know in the comments!

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