This BMW EV has color changing body: How it works
What's the story
BMW has honored South African artist Esther Mahlangu's 1991 Art Car with the i5 Flow NOSTOKANA.
It is a cutting-edge electric vehicle that blends Mahlangu's iconic geometric designs with BMW's groundbreaking color-changing technology.
The car boasts electrically animated foil segments, created in partnership with E Ink, turning the vehicle into a moving masterpiece.
At 88 years old, Mahlangu is thrilled by how modern technology enhances her art and connects with new fans.
Mechanism
E Ink technology brings art to life
The i5 Flow NOSTOKANA comes with 1,349 individual film segments that showcase Mahlangu's artwork in ever-changing patterns.
Like an e-reader, each E Ink film has millions of microcapsules with color particles that can be rearranged using electrical voltage.
These animated segments stretch across the car's roof, hood, rear, and sides in two strips each.
BMW Group and E Ink collaborated on the laser cutting process and electronic control design, while BMW developed the curved surface adaptation and programmed animations in-house.
Improvement
Rapid development of color change technology
Since the debut of BMW iX Flow with E Ink in 2022, color change technology has made significant strides.
Initially, it allowed a simple switch between white and black with the push of a button.
In 2023, the first multicolor version was introduced, displaying up to 32 colors on the 240 film segments of BMW i Vision Dee.
The new advancements offer even more colors and patterns while making the film segments sturdier for potential mass production.
Availability
What about i5 Flow NOSTOKANA's availability?
As of now, the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA is a one-off model and bears no price tag. The German automaker is yet to announce whether the eye-catching vehicle will head to production in the future.