Credit: Bloomberg
On Thursday in Las Vegas, the German automaker BMW unveiled BMW iX Flow, a new vehicle that can change color with the push of a button.
The BMW iX Flow concept car was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). It converts the exterior of the car into a variety of gray and white patterns using the electronic ink technology typically used in e-readers.
The E Ink Technology
BMW claims that “E Ink technology itself is extremely energy efficient” because it only uses power when the actual color change process is taking place and doesn’t need to use power to maintain a color change, despite the labor- and laser-intensive process that goes into creating the color-changing skin. That assertion is supported by the fact that, when used solely for reading and not for watching videos or listening to music, basic e-reader devices frequently have an impressive battery life.
Furthermore, BMW says that a car equipped with the E Ink color-changing technology can actually make the car itself more energy-efficient — think about turning your car white or another light color during summer to help reflect the sun’s rays and keep the inside cool and changing to black or another dark color during winter to absorb sunlight and help warm up the cabin. Studies show that translates to energy savings since you’ll rely less on the car’s climate control systems.
According to Stella Clarke, who oversaw the iX Flow project at BMW, “the vehicle then becomes an expression of different moods and circumstances in daily life, similar to fashion or the status ads on social media channels.”
Will BMW iX Flow Be Sold?
Of course, you want to know if BMW will ever sell vehicles with interchangeable colors. It’s acceptable to have doubts given that BMWs like the Vantablack concept will never be built and sold. The technology is currently being tested and improved, according to BMW, with the goal of making the panels resistant to common damage like car washes and road debris. Any impact to a panel renders it useless. Of course, cost is a factor as well. BMW has however given a hint that it might be more plausible than we realize.
This article was published first on HowStuffWorks
