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Early in 2022, BMW revealed a conceptual version of its all-electric crossover, the iX, that featured a nifty, color-changing wrap. Covered in a product called E ink, the SUV could switch from black to white at the touch of a button.

Now, with the help of project leader, Stella Clarke, and head of BMW i exterior design, Dirk Müller-Stolz, BMW is explaining how it actually made the crazy idea of covering a vehicle in E ink panels work in a new video.

While the concept may seem simple, E ink panels are not designed to be three-dimensional. Used primarily for e-readers, the technology only has to be flat in most applications, which means that it comes in stiff, cardboard-like panels.

Read: Jay Leno Has Some Questions About BMW iX’s Color-Shifting Tech

BMW Reveals How They Covered An iX In E Ink

Although cars may seem like relatively simple objects, when you get closer to them, you realize just how many peaks, valleys, and curves cover their bodies. That meant that, in order to affix panels to the iX, BMW’s team had to spend a very long time planning.

First, it broke the vehicle down into shapes that were small and simple enough to bend an E ink panel into. Then they cut sheets of paper to size in order to test fit and adjust the design, before finally applying the E ink panels.

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Then, BMW coded the panels to make their colors change and finally covered them with a final layer to ensure that the panels could withstand being touched, something that even a concept car will sometimes have to suffer.

Although the E ink iX is a pure concept car, BMW says that the technology could be useful in production vehicles. Firstly, it would allow owners to customize their vehicles constantly, enabling them to adjust aesthetics on a whim.

It could also be helpful in situations when a driver has lost their vehicle in a parking lot or when the state of charge information needs to be conveyed quickly. And finally, by going from white to black, BMW could adjust how hot a vehicle gets, helping to reduce the load on the air conditioning system.

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