BMW Shows Color-Shifting i5 in Los Angeles, the Tech Is Closer Than Ever to Production

This BMW i5 Nostokana is the next level in car customization, and fans can only hope to see the technology going into production. Bearing the name of the artist’s first son, it is a one-of-one that sports the color-change technology developed by BMW, following the lines of the artistic language of South African artist Esther Mahlangu with the help of E Ink. Mahlangu designed a BMW Art Car back in 1991.

She designed the 12th BMW Art Car, which was based on a BMW 525i. She thus became the first woman and first African artist to do so. Esther is now 88 years old and was invited to bring her artistry into the project again.

But this time, we are dealing with a new technology, which involves the electrophoretic color changes, which turn the electric sedan into a dynamic work of art. Esther Mahlangu finds it fascinating to see how modern technology can expand her art and make it attractive to a whole new kind of audience.

Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design, supervised the project that honors the history of BMW and confirms the global cultural engagement of the brand.

The model features 1,349 laser-cut sections of attached film that can each be electronically animated. Two strips stretch across the roof, hood, and rear end. Each E Ink film integrates several million microcapsules containing color particles that change their shade when an electric voltage is applied. The BMW team had to be careful to properly apply the film to the curved surfaces, which was the biggest challenge.

A sound composed by Renzo Vitale, BMW Group's Creative Director, Sound, accompanies the animations of the i5 Flow Notokana. The sound includes sequences of Esther Mahlangu's voice combined with the sound of the feather brushes that she uses for painting and of colored pencils, as well as the acoustic signal heard when operating the BMW i5's touchscreen.

The sound mix starts off softly at the beginning of each color shift, growing in intensity as the animation progresses.
The first time BMW used the color change technology was in 2022 with the iX Flow, which displayed shifts from white to black at the push of a button. A year later, with the technology making huge steps ahead, the BMW i Vision Dee came with 240 sections of film capable of displaying a whole 32 colors.

However, the BMW i5 Nostokana sports even more colors and patterns. The sections of film are more solid and the closest to series production than any other color-shifting technology has ever been.

Before that happens, the BMW i5 Nostokana will be on display at the Frieze Los Angeles art fair. Meanwhile, the 1991 art car that inspired it will be present at an exhibition in Cape Town.