German car makers BMW wowed CES 2022 with a host of stunning new features, including the BMW iX Flow concept car, featuring E Ink, which will be the first car in the world whose exterior colour can change at the touch of a button.
Among a host of futuristic technologies, is a 32-inch cinema screen extending from the headliner for rear passengers, which is sure to make back-seat journeys as pleasure-filled as driving the car itself.
“By changing the colour of the car, we’re bringing personalisation to unforeseen levels,” said head of the project Stella Clarke. “We also see a lot of benefits from a usability and sustainability viewpoint.”
The changing colour can make the car more efficient by taking into account light and dark colours in relation to reflecting sunlight and the absorption of thermal energy.
“A white surface reflects a lot more sunlight than a black one. Heating the vehicle and passenger compartment as a result of strong sunlight and high temperatures can be reduced by changing the exterior to a light colour,” BMW explained.
“In cooler weather, a dark outer skin will help the vehicle absorb more warmth from the sun. In both cases, selective colour changes can help to cut the amount of cooling and heating required from the vehicle’s air conditioning. This reduces the amount of energy the vehicle’s electrical system needs and, with it, the vehicle’s fuel or electricity consumption.”
This principle could also increase the range of an electric car. The technology itself uses no energy to keep the chosen colour. Current flows only during the short colour-changing phase.
Although, no confirmed production date, Clarke said, “This is a first try. It’s never been done before. We’re pioneering it and are hopeful it will go into production. At the moment, we can’t tell you when it will come.”
How BMW iX Flow changes colours
The colour changes are made possible by a specially developed body wrap tailored precisely to the contours of the iX Flow. When stimulated by electrical signals, the electrophoretic technology – similar to that used in Kindle e-readers – brings different colour pigments to the surface, causing the body skin to take on the desired colour.
There are millions of paint capsules in the custom wrap, 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, stimulation by means of an electrical field causes either the white or the black pigments to collect at the surface of the microcapsule, giving the car the desired shade.
Achieving this involves using many precisely fitted electronic paper segments, which are designed to reflect the contours of the vehicle and variations in light and shadow.
After the segments are applied and the power supply for stimulating the electrical field is connected, the entire body is warmed and sealed to guarantee optimum and uniform colour reproduction during every colour change.
Clarke said early indications show that repairing the technology won’t be a huge issue. “It is certainly repairable and not unrealistic from that aspect,” she added.
The new BMW iX M60
For the first time, BMW used the CES as a platform for the world premiere of a new model – the BMW iX M60, the most powerful variant of the Group’s new technology flagship. The company expects to set standards in the areas of user experience, operation and connectivity, as well as with its automated driving and parking functions.
The iX M60 has a combined power consumption of 24.7 – 21.7 kWh/100 km, output of 455 kW/619 hp, a maximum torque of 1.015 Nm in Sport Mode respectively 1.100 Nm with activated Launch Control and an M specific suspension set-up for outstanding performance to go with emission-free mobility.
The iX M60 accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in only 3.8 seconds. The power delivery of its M specific electric drive continues steadily into high load ranges, so that the increase in speed also remains almost constant up to the electronically limited maximum speed of 250 km/h.
The range of the BMW iX M60 determined in the WLTP test cycle is up to 566 kilometres.
BMW has used innovative digital technology to make the driving experience even more individual and emotionally engaging for the customers. The new My Modes, which create an immersive user experience in the interior, play a central role here. Apart from Expressive and Relax My Modes, a Digital Art Mode presents digital art in an automobile for the first time and the Theatre Mode heralds a new era for in-car entertainment.
BMW is also launching BMW IconicSounds Electric, created in association the Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer.
The jointly developed driving sounds reflect the specific performance characteristics and quintessential brand attributes of an electrified BMW in a way that is both completely new and at the same time authentic. The new soundscapes vary depending on the My Modes chosen by the driver. The electrified BMW M automobiles use variations of the BMW IconicSounds Electric developed specifically for them. BMW IconicSounds Electric will be available for the first time for the BMW i4 in the first half of 2022 and also for the BMW iX in the second half of 2022.
In addition to the new moments and soundscapes for intense driving pleasure, BMW will also present an innovative concept for the individual mobility experience in the rear. It is offering the prospect of a particularly exclusive expression of My Modes in combination with the in-car entertainment system of the future. In My Mode Theatre, the rear of the interior transforms into a private cinema lounge, with the BMW Theatre Screen, a 31-inch ultra-wide display in 32:9 format, surround sound and 5G connectivity. Passengers on the rear seats can enjoy a thrilling and luxurious cinema experience.
The BMW Group is working with Amazon to fully integrate the Fire TV experience within the Theatre Screen system – giving passengers access to a wide variety of content so they can stream videos, listen to music, and watch downloaded programs, all while on the road.
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