Imagine the scenario: in the morning, you leave for an important meeting in Lisbon in a sober, dark-grey SUV. And at night, on your way to a dinner with friends by the ocean, with a simple touch on your smartphone, you transform the same car into a vibrant pearl-white sports car or even one with patterns.
Does it sound like a scene from a sci-fi or spy movie? For BMW engineers, this is no longer fantasy, but a functional prototype. The Bavarian giant caused a real furor in the automotive world by presenting a technology that allows the body color to be changed instantly.
How does it work? The secret inside your e-reader
Many think it involves an incredibly complex system with liquid paint or millions of LEDs. In reality, the genius solution turned out to be unexpectedly familiar. The secret lies in E Ink technology — "electronic ink." Yes, it is the exact same technology used in the screens of popular e-readers that many people take to the beach.
BMW engineers covered the body of the conceptual iX Flow crossover with a special film that perfectly follows its contours. This film contains millions of microcapsules, no thicker than a human hair. Inside each capsule are pigments with different charges. By applying a weak electrical discharge, the necessary pigments rise to the surface, changing the car's color in seconds.
Undoubtedly, such innovations fascinate and look like magic. However, it is fair to recognize that the desire to buy a BMW for most drivers does not arise because of experiments with paint or futuristic gadgets. The main arguments remain benchmark driving dynamics, engine reliability, and premium-class comfort — qualities that are available in the brand's mass-production models today, regardless of whether they change color or not.
Not just style, but benefits for Portugal
But let’s get back to the technology. If we put aside the "wow" factor, color changing has a serious practical application, especially relevant for Portugal's sunny climate.
Changing color directly influences thermal efficiency and energy consumption. On a hot summer day in the Algarve or Alentejo, a white body will effectively reflect the sun's rays. This will lower the temperature in the cabin and reduce the load on the air conditioning, which is critical for saving an electric vehicle's battery. On a cool winter day, a dark color, conversely, will help absorb the sun's heat, warming the car faster.
When can we expect it in showrooms?
For now, the "Chameleon-BMW" remains a complex and very expensive concept (the i Vision Dee model is already capable of displaying up to 32 colors). The E Ink technology on the body must undergo rigorous testing against road dust, rain, car washes, and temperature changes before becoming a standard option.
However, this prototype clearly shows where the automotive industry is heading: the future of design is dynamics and total freedom of expression for the owner.
While future technologies are still undergoing testing, you can find your ideal car with classic, but no less beautiful, paint today.
Thousands of current offers for buying and selling cars and motorcycles throughout Portugal await you on the country's main platform — AUTO.MOTO.pt.