Color-Changing BMW i Vision Dee At CES 2023 Has Up To 32 Colors

The original E Ink was limited to black and white shades.

2023 BMW i Vision Dee concept

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

Jan 5, 2023 at 3:23am ET

Add Motor1.com as a preferred source in Google

Comment

At the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, BMW had an X6 with Vantablack VBx2 coating, a substance that absorbs more than 99 percent of visible light to create the blackest black. For the 2022 CES, the iX was covered in E Ink featuring millions of microcapsules about as thick as human hair. These capsules were filled with negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black ones to create shades of gray to alter the electric SUV’s exterior finish.

For the 2023 CES, BMW is back with an evolution of its E Ink. Demonstrated on the i Vision Dee, the more advanced technology is showing its true colors, all 32 of them. It no longer just alternates between black and white as it now supports a full-color version with individually configurable body panels. The German luxury brand teamed up with E Ink to borrow its ePaper film and apply no fewer than 240 segments all over the concept's body.

BMW full color E Ink technology

2023 BMW i Vision Dee concept

What do you think?

View

Comments

It's not just the body that can have a color-changing finish as the wheels can also be covered in E Ink to make the i Vision Dee the automotive equivalent of a chameleon. BMW touts that "an almost infinite variety of patterns" are possible and switching to a different finish is done in a matter of seconds. As shown in the official renderings, the Bavarians went to town demonstrating the tech, reminding us of Dodge's 14-color wrap for the Challenger.

BMW isn't saying anything about the prospects of implementing full-color E Ink on a production model. The Munich-based automaker does have one of the most generous color palettes in the industry as its Individual catalog of paints keeps growing. It used to be limited to high-end models, but you can now get a fancy paint job even on lowly front-wheel-drive cars like 1 Series hatchback or a 2 Series Gran Coupe. With the latest 7 Series flagship sedan, customers also have the option of two-tone paints akin to Rolls-Royce models.

BMW's Interesting Exterior Finishes:

BMW X6 Vantablack Arrives In World's Darkest Black Color

BMW Shows Off Incredible Color-Changing Paint With iX Flow At CES

Source: BMW

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motor1.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The Motor1.com Team

Share this Story

GO TO COMMENTS

(

)

Got a tip for us? Email: tips@motor1.com

View all comments ( )

Popular

12 Cars With Names That Make Absolutely No Sense

BMW Kept This Hatchback A Secret For Decades

Bugatti Restores One-Off Veyron With A Mirror-Like Aluminum Body

The Gas BMW M3 Isn't Dead: Next-Gen Prototype Roars