Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars

BMW shows off an electric car with color-changing paint at CES 2022

Stephen Edelstein
By

From engine sounds to seat massagers, modern cars let drivers personalize almost everything. At CES 2022, BMW is taking that idea a step further with a concept version of its iX electric SUV that sports color-changing paint.

The effect relies on E Ink, the same electronic paper technology used in e-readers. Millions of microcapsules approximately the diameter of a human hair are embedded in an exterior wrap made from laser-cut electronic paper segments, according to BMW. They contain negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments. Activating an electric field causes different amounts of each pigment to collect on the surface, shifting the color between black, white, and gray with the press of a button.

BMW CES 22: The Ultimate Driving Machine Meets the Ultimate Digital Experience

While those three shades don’t make for a very vibrant color palette, BMW sees a couple of noteworthy uses for this technology. The ability to change a car’s color instantly offers greater possibilities for personalization, and it could even help improve the efficiency of EVs, the automaker claims.

Recommended Videos

A white surface reflects a lot more sunlight than a black surface, BMW noted. Shifting colors could help control cabin temperature, using a white exterior to cool things down on a hot day, or a black surface to keep heat in during winter. That means less power from the battery pack is needed for climate control.

Related

While the BMW iX is scheduled to arrive at United States dealerships later this year, don’t expect color-changing paint to be an option. BMW said it is only an “advanced research and design project,” and it’s unclear how the surface will stand up to weather, road debris, or car washes.

BMW also brought out a sportier version of the iX at CES 2022. The 2023 BMW iX M60 boasts 610 horsepower in its most aggressive Sport Boost mode, compared to the standard car’s 516 hp. That will get this 5,679-pound SUV from zero to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds and up to a top speed of 155 mph (with summer tires), according to BMW. However, while the standard iX exceeds 300 miles of range, BMW only expects the M60 to go 280 miles on a charge. The M60 is scheduled to reach U.S. dealerships in June of this year.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
BMW shows off the future of iDrive tech at CES 2021
bmw idrive next gen infotainment system ces 2021 screen

BMW iDrive was one of the first automotive infotainment systems, debuting in 2001 on the 7 Series luxury car. To celebrate iDrive's 20th anniversary, BMW previewed the next-generation system — set to debut in the iX electric car — at CES 2021.

While the automaker's presentation focused more on the past than the future, BMW did drop a few teasers and hints about the next-generation iDrive system. Teaser images show a massive screen stretching about halfway across a car's dashboard, indicating BMW doesn't plan to buck the big-screen trend in new cars. The new system also retains the rotary controller used on every iteration of iDrive, showing that BMW's introduction of gesture control and a voice assistant haven't killed off analog controls.

Read more
BMW’s technology flagship is an electric SUV with concept car-like styling
2022 BMW iX

Developed as an electric car from the ground up, the iX is unlike any SUV ever released by BMW. Its polarizing design hides a thoroughly modern powertrain and cutting-edge technology features that will permeate other members of the company's range during the 2020s. It's not a concept, either: It's headed to production in 2021.

The iX lives up to its positioning as BMW's tech flagship by offering 20 times the computing power of the company's current SUVs, and by inaugurating a built-in 5G connection made possible by a partnership with Samsung. 5G will transform the ultimate driving machine into the ultimate streaming machine. It notably makes zero-delay streaming possible, which opens the door to in-car gaming, virtual reality experiences, and movie streaming at resolutions up to 4K. On a secondary but equally important level, it will also let BMW integrate an array of semiautonomous driving functions that need low latency, guaranteed network coverage, and an allotted minimum data rate to function.

Read more
Watch BMW test an electric jet pack that lets you fly at 186 mph
BMW Electrified Wingsuit

BMW's electric technology will power thousands of sedans and SUVs during the 2020s, but the company's ambitions are much higher -- literally. It's forward-thinking BMW i division teamed up with Austrian stuntman Peter Salzmann to develop a battery-powered wingsuit capable of propelling the person wearing it through the air at up to 186 mph.

Creating the device that allowed the 33-year-old Salzmann to fly above the Austrian Alps took about three years. While the wingsuit isn't a new invention, the drive unit that powers it was developed from scratch. It needed to be relatively compact, reasonably light, power dense, and, of course, reliable -- no one wants to run out of juice at 9,000 feet. BMW leveraged its expertise in electric powertrains (it released the i3 in 2013, before EVs were cool) to make it work.

Read more