BMW changes car colour with the touch of a button

Losing your car for weeks because you want to change its colour? BMW is working to make that unnecessary. The German car brand is developing technology that lets you change your car's colour at the touch of a button.

Lost your car for a while because you want to change the color of your car? If it's on BMW this will soon be a thing of the past. The German car brand wants you to be able to change the color of your car with just the push of a button.

Text: Noa Verseveldt
Online editor: Patrick Stoffer
Image: BMW

E-reader technology

During CES 2022 in Las Vegas, BMW showed the function for the first time, on the BMW iX Flow. The wrap is an E-ink based polish, it consists of millions of microcapsules the size of human hair. The E-ink is the same technology used in e-readers. The microcapsules containing negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments can be controlled using electrical signals. As a result, the pigments appear in varying amounts on the surface and produce different shades or patterns.

Color options

The colors possible with the technology alternate between white, gray and black. It is also possible to apply racing stripes, for example, because the wrap consists of different parts.

Photo: BMW.COM

Efficient and energy saving

The innovative feature is not just intended to please the eye. According to BMW, it is also efficient and energy-saving. By painting the car white in the summer it helps with the reflection of the sun's rays. This way you need less energy to cool the car with air conditioning. The same with black in winter to retain heat. Plus the color changes are energy efficient, according to BMW only a very small amount of power is used.

At the moment, the function is still in the preliminary stages, but in the future BMW wants to make the innovation accessible to consumers. So just a little patience before you can choose your color at the push of a button.