Brightness Ahead: Electric BMWs with Dynamic, Color-Shifting Paint Debuted, Expected to Hit Roads within 5 Years

Remember that wild BMW tech that lets cars change paint colors on the fly? Well, it’s not just a concept anymore. According to an engineer behind the tech, we could see E Ink-enabled BMWs hitting dealership floors in just three to five years.

Speaking to Drive, BMW engineer Stella Clarke said that the tech could simplify manufacturing, as every car would get the same E Ink material, which could then be changed to whatever color the customer wants. The vision is to bring it to a broad customer base, where every car can do every color. No more traditional spray-painting cabins, just E Ink all the way.

And the best part? It’s energy-efficient. Changing the color of an entire car uses just 20 watts, which is roughly the same amount of energy as a single lightbulb. However, Clarke does admit that E Ink won’t be cheap, at least not in the early stages.

So, how did this tech come about? Clarke invented E Ink in her attic during lockdown before pitching it to her employers. It made its debut on the iX Flow at CES in 2022, an iX that could change from white to black and any shade of gray in between. It even made Time’s List of Best Inventions 2022.

Now, let’s talk about the potential benefits. You could change your car’s color to match your mood, or to blend in with its surroundings. Imagine having a black car that turns white on a hot day to keep it cooler, or having your car flash different colors to make it easier to find in a parking lot. Rideshare drivers could even have their cars change colors depending on whether they’re on or off the clock.

However, there are some potential safety and legal hurdles to consider. Clarke acknowledges that safety is important, and that laws would need to be put in place to regulate the technology. In moving traffic, you wouldn’t want all the cars flashing around and causing a distraction. It’s going to be country-specific, so we’ll have to wait and see how different jurisdictions respond.

And let’s be real, getting regulatory approval for a technology like this might be a challenge. Audi’s configurable daytime running lights have sometimes run afoul of U.S. safety standards, so it’s hard to imagine NHTSA being cool with a 3 Series that can change its entire paint job on the fly. Plus, law enforcement might not be thrilled about car identification becoming that much harder.

In unrelated news, professional getaway drivers just got a new favorite automaker.