| The BMW that acts like a chameleon |
BMW revealed a color-changing technology used in e-reader displays that takes vehicle personalization to a new level.
The iX Flow tech, showcased on BMW's new iX M60 electric crossover, uses a specially developed body wrap.
When stimulated by electrical signals, the electrophoretic technology brings different color pigments to the surface, causing the wrap to change colors.
The surface coating contains millions of microcapsules, each having the diameter thickness of a human hair, BMW said.
The microcapsules contain negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments. Electrical stimulation causes either the white or the black pigments to collect at the surface of the microcapsule, altering vehicle color.
The chameleon-like concept is not just about aesthetics. It can also help make the vehicle more energy efficient.
Adjusting to a lighter exterior color on a hot day, or switching to a darker skin on a cloudy day, can reduce the use of the vehicle's air conditioning.
In the interior, the technology could prevent the dashboard from heating up too much.
BMW said the E Ink technology is "extremely" energy efficient. Unlike displays or projectors, the technology only draws energy when switching between colors.
— Urvaksh Karkaria
What you need to know
Chrysler EV plans: All electric by 2028 The future of the Chrysler brand was murky when Fiat Chrysler Automobiles merged with France's PSA Group in 2021 to form Stellantis. One year later, the vision is much sharper: The product-starved brand plans to debut its first battery-electric model by 2025 and will eliminate internal-combustion engines by 2028. Stellantis is providing a glimpse of the road ahead with an electric crossover concept called the Chrysler Airflow revealed Wednesday at CES in Las Vegas.
— Vince Bond Jr.
