At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, German car maker BMW turned heads with a new concept car. It wasn’t because of autonomous capabilities, or an extended range battery, but because it was coated with digital ink for almost unlimited colour variations.  

i Vision Dee is an electric midsize sports saloon and is described by BMW as the world’s first “colour-changing” car. The car can change between 32 different solid exterior colours, with mix-and-match capabilities due to its 240 different panel segments, providing for almost unlimited colour variations.

The secret lies in a coating of electronic paper produced by a new company called E Ink. This contains millions of microcapsules that will change shade with the application of electricity. 

At this stage the car is very much in the concept stage as the e-paper as yet does not react well to road conditions and harsh weather. However, BMW says it hopes to develop a protective spray coating that will make the paper more durable, so the i Vision Dee might just point the way to a more colourful future.