BMW Reveals Car That Changes Color

German automaker BMW BMWYY revealed a concept vehicle at the recently-held Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that can change color.

What Happened: The concept was showcased on the company’s iX electric SUV with “E Ink” technology that changes color due to a specially-developed body wrap.

The body wrap technology is similar to that is used in Amazon.com Inc’s AMZN Kindle E-Reader. 

BMW showcased the technology on its new iX electric SUV but did not provide a timeline on when it would go into production. 

See Also: BMW Says It Is Not Interested in McLaren Automotive, Audi Says Open To Cooperation

How Does It Work: The electrophoretic technology helps enable the exterior of the car to change swap color from black to white in a dynamic flow. 

E Ink Holdings Inc, the company behind the technology, said the electronic ink is made up of millions of tiny microcapsules filled with white and black pigments and can be moved up or down using an electric field in a controlled manner, thereby changing the appearance at the surface of the display.

The personalization could help improve the efficiency of the vehicle depending upon the outside weather and temperature — a white exterior on hot days would reflect sunlight and conversely, a black exterior on cold days would absorb the sunlight. This could reduce the amount of energy the vehicle uses for heating and cooling the interior.

Price Action: BMW shares closed 0.2% lower at $36.3 a share on Friday.

Photo: Courtesy of BMW