BMW was undoubtedly one of the absolute protagonists of the 2022 edition of the CES in Las Vegas. The German carmaker used the stage of the Consumer Electronics Show to showcase several innovations, including an innovative prototype of the iX electric SUV that can change its body color. The BMW iX Flow was born from the collaboration between the Munich brand with E Ink, offering a technological perspective that exploits digitalization to customize the exterior of the passenger compartment as well. The livery of this model is in fact able to change shades at the request of the driver.
We had already anticipated this innovation on the occasion of the official debut but now we provide you with some more details about this technology that guarantees smooth color changes for the car body. This innovation is based on electrophoretic coloring, especially known in displays used in eReaders. The surface coating of the BMW iX Flow contains 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, the stimulation by means of an electric field causes the white or black pigments to collect on the surface of the microcapsule, giving the body the desired shade. To achieve this effect on a vehicle’s bodywork requires the application of many precisely fitted ePaper segments. Generative design processes are implemented to ensure that all body parts reflect the characteristic contours of the vehicle and the resulting variations in light and shadow. Generative design algorithms allow for the malleability and flexibility needed to adapt the ePaper to the vehicle’s design lines.
“In the future, digital experiences will not be limited to just displays. The fusion of real and virtual will continue to increase. With the BMW iX Flow, we bring car bodies to life – explained Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development – The smooth color changes are made possible thanks to a specially developed body coating that adapts precisely to the contours of every BMW all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle. At the prompt of an electrical impulse, electrophoretic technology brings different color pigments to the surface, making the body take on the desired color. Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group design: “The BMW iX Flow is an advanced research and design project and a great example of the future-oriented way of thinking that BMW is known for.”
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