BMW’s paint of the future: iX3 shows animated hood ready for production

At Auto China 2026, BMW presented the iX3 Flow Edition with a dynamic E-Ink surface on the hood, marking another step toward its “Neue Klasse” – BMW’s major future program for a completely new generation of vehicles. BMW has also published a press release and a demo video. The most exciting part: according to the company, the animated surface is production-ready, seamlessly integrated into the hood and based on a technology many people already know from everyday life: E-Ink.

Unlike e-book readers, however, the iX3’s hood does not contain an integrated display. Instead, it uses a special film with tiny capsules. These contain charged black and white pigments that are moved by electrical signals. Depending on which pigments move upward, the surface can display white, black or shades of gray.

BMW says there are eight selectable animations for the hood. They show iconic Chinese buildings and are intended to symbolize modernity and progress. It is conceivable that more designs could be added later. Several other questions remain open: BMW has not yet commented on how well the surface withstands stone chips, car washes, weather or repairs. The automaker has also not yet provided any details on pricing or market launch.

Porsche and Toyota are also working on changeable colors

According to recent patent reports, Porsche is also working on smart films and coatings. These could allow features such as rally stripes to appear, disappear again or react depending on driving mode and charge level. That points in a similar direction to BMW’s E-Ink idea. Toyota has also filed patents for changeable car colors, though its approach appears to focus more on paints that react to heat or light.