This, claims BMW, results in increased sustainability and reduced parts manufacturing, and because the plastic panels don’t have paint, they are easier to recycle for use in future vehicles.
Sustainability is further enhanced by the plastic panels being made from recycled material or non-petroleum-based plastics that use vegetable oils and fats instead.
The basic chemistry behind irradiation is said to typically result in carbonization (turning a material into a gray/black shade) or the creation of microscopic CO2 bubbles (turning dark plastics white), but the various dye pigments available mean reds, yellows, blues, and other hues can be achieved.
Between this, color-changing body panels using E-Ink, and crystalline headlight structures, BMW is rapidly reimagining the way cars of the future will look and be constructed.
