The new BMW iX Flow uses E Ink tech to change its color

"In the future, digital experiences will not just be played on screens," says Frank Weber, Member of BMW AG's Board of Management for Development. "The real and the virtual world will become increasingly entwined. We bring the body to life with the BMW iX Flow."

The fluid color transformation is enabled by a newly created body wrapping that is perfectly suited to the curves of BMW's 100% electric Sports Activity Vehicle. In addition, the electrophoretic technology delivers different color pigments to the surface, where the body image takes on the desired color. "The BMW iX Flow is a sophisticated research and design initiative that demonstrates the BMW Group's future thinking," says Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design.

The groundbreaking E Ink technology opens up new options for changing the car's appearance to adapt to the driver's aesthetic choices, environmental conditions, or practical requirements. As a result, the technology provides new opportunities for customization in exterior design. The BMW iX Flow with E Ink exemplifies this promise to perfection. On this basis, the BMW Group is driving technological development to a new level of customization that may be experienced in both the appearance and interior of future series cars.

The driver's personality is reflected in the body color. The exterior paint treatments offered for modern BMW models come in various hues. The desire for a subtle, subtle, or elegant look, as well as an inclination toward a particularly expressive, flamboyant, or athletic appearance on the outside, can be taken into consideration in this way. Year after year, new versions based on the peculiarities of the particular model are added, and the brand continues to establish trends in the field of exterior design.

Through the application of cutting-edge technology, a whole new level of freedom of choice may emerge in the future. "This offers the driver the flexibility to express different parts of his personality or the delight of diversity and reinterpret it on every voyage," Stella Clarke, project manager for the BMW iX Flow electric SUV with E Ink, adds. "The car will thus become an ambassador for many emotions, and situations in everyday life, much like fashion or status displays on social media outlets."

A variable exterior color can also help to the interior's well-being and the vehicle's efficiency. The varied abilities of bright and dark hues in the reflection of sunlight and the accompanying absorption of thermal energy are considered for this purpose. For example, a white surface reflects far more sunlight than a dark surface. Consequently, when there is intense sunshine and high outside temperatures, shifting to a light exterior color helps minimize the heating of the car and its inside. However, the car with a black exterior layer absorbs far more heat from the sun in cooler weather.

The E Ink technology itself is known for its remarkable energy efficiency. Electrophoretic technology does not require energy to maintain the specified color state constant, unlike displays or projectors. Instead, electric current only flows during the brief interval of color shift.