Those in attendance at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will see a BMW iX that does something no other car has done before.

This car has paint that can change colors. Currently, the colors only change from black to white with a couple of shades of gray in between, but the idea of a car that has paint that can change colors seems pretty cool. While we’re not going to see this feature as something that can be used to thwart law enforcement officials, what we could see is the use of this paint for several purposes.

That’s a Wrap

No, it’s not a line from the end of movie production to signal actors they are done, and the editing can begin; it’s what we see covering the body panels of the iX Flow found at CES. This vehicle wrap has been developed in cooperation with E Ink to give this electric BMW a form of e-paper which can change shades and colors right in front of you.

Of course, with this new wrap, some energy has to be used to change the color of the wrap, but once the color has been changed, that’s it for the energy use. This is similar to the way the screen on a Kindle works. The electrophoretic technology allows the iX to preserve as much energy as possible while giving you the design you’ll admire.

Can You Change the Color with YourMood?

Before you get too excited, the answer to this question is “yes,” but it is also an emphatic “no.” Right now, the color changes are only from black to white, with a couple of shades of gray in between them. While that might be enough to show off your outward personality, you might want to have colors like yellow, blue, red, and green to give you various appearance qualities in your BMW. If those other colors are added, this new wrap will become an expression of your personality when you take a drive.

Right now, we see a version of the wrap for the BMW iX Flow that has the entire surface of the car changing at one time, but you can imagine how this feature could be used to show a flow from one color to another with transitions between them. Until that is part of the technology, we can simply admire the fact that BMW is experimenting with this color-changing technology.

A Practical Approach

If we forget about the fashionable approach to this color-changing technology and think about the practical approach, a more sensible use appears. The fact that you could change the color of the vehicle, or have the surface programmed to do so for you, based on temperature changes, could save a lot of energy in the BMW iX.

On hotter days, you would want this SUV to be white and reflect as much of the heat as possible to help save energy and keep the cabin cooler. When the temps drop, you might want to have this vehicle wear a black cloak to bring the heat in and absorb that energy to keep you warmer during your drive.

These changes could help increase the range of the vehicle, improve the interior comfort, and protect the technology included in some of the most advanced electric vehicles that are being added to the market.

For now, this color-changing wrap from E Ink is not going to be offered for the BMW iX Flow anytime soon, but it sure is a cool experiment that might eventually make its way to the market.

What is the BMW iX?

BMW has created an all-electric midsize SUV that gives you excellent driving range and the BMW luxury and comfort. This SUV is the iX, and it’s offered to you in the xDrive50 model to give you an easy way to enjoy the quiet, modern technology you want to experience out on the road. The driving range is rated at 300miles, and charging is completed quickly, making this SUV one that can be useful to you and your family. This new SUV is a vehicle your family can be proud to own.

What Makes You Proud of this SUV

If you’re trying to show an example of what you can drive while being responsible, your kids will be proud to learn more about the iX. This SUV is made using recycled aluminum in the body, recycled polyester in the cabin, and it drives using batteries. You can tell your kids about the recycled features, the fact this SUV doesn’t expel any harmful chemicals into the environment, and that it’s a luxury vehicle that brings plenty of comfort to the drive. These factors will certainly make your kids proud to drive along with you when you head out every day.

The Technology is Amazing

The latest version of the iDrive system is part of the mix for this impressive luxury SUV. You’ll love the iDrive 8 system, which makes your experience behind the wheel more engaging every day. This system has separate user profiles that include driving mode preferences, advanced voice recognition, and a 14.9-linch curved touchscreen. BMW is offering over-the-air updates for this system to ensure your iX always has the latest information to give you the quality connection needed when you take a drive. This system also includes navigation, parking, and charging features that make all of these activities much easier for you.

You Have to Wait for the Paint

You might not want to wait for the color-changing paint (wrap) to arrive in the BMW lineup, but there are no immediate plans to make this feature available to consumers just yet. Until that time, you can satisfy your craving for a modern, electric, responsible vehicle with the new BMW iX. This impressive SUV is right for your family, gives you the engaging qualities you want, and it’s a true BMW on the road. Get behind the wheel and feel the athleticism of an SUV that runs on batteries.