If you need any more reason to believe that a large portion of car manufacturers are set on embracing electric vehicles (EVs), the investments they’re pumping into their upcoming models should be a strong indicator.
This year, EVs will become increasingly more accessible to consumers across Australia, and while some of the latest tech unveiled at CES 2022 will be out of reach for the majority of us, it’s still cool to know what’s on the horizon.
From colour-changing panels to vehicle-to-grid charging, here are just some innovations we can expect to enter the EV market in the near future.
Colour-changing panels
If you grew up in a household where your parents or guardians spent the good part of a decade deciding on the colour of a couch, you’d know how hesitant the average person is to invest a large chunk of money into one single colour.
While it’s unclear whether BMW had this particular conundrum in mind during the brainstorming process of E ink, we do know that the luxury car manufacturer has revealed the first, fully-electric vehicle that has the ability to change colour.
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The BMW iX Flow, a brainchild of Australian engineer Stella Clarke and which was fully displayed during CES 2022, boasts technology that will enable drivers to switch most aspects of the exterior from darker to brighter. BMW explains that outside of appearance, this will help regulate the ‘thermal properties’ of the car in varying climates.
This is in line with BMW’s target to produce the greenest electric vehicle fleet by reducing the lifecycle CO2 emissions per vehicle by at least a third and achieve a climate-neutral business model spanning the entire value chain by 2050.
Vehicle-to-grid charging
Announced in early 2021, BMW is currently trialling vehicle-to-grid charging as part of a three-year project designed to turn particular car models into ‘mobile energy storage devices’.
Although BMW already has a successful partnership with Chargefox, Australia’s largest electric vehicle charging network powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, vehicle-to-grid charging will give drivers the option to transfer energy from their EV back into the grid when there’s high demand for electricity.
Liken it to a generator with wheels.
This will also enable owners to charge their EVs when renewable energy is available or when demand for electricity is low.
Unless, of course, you desperately need to charge your car because you’re running low and you desperately need to make a 2am run to Macca’s. In that case, you can charge as normal via a private charger or one of the 3,000 publicly available charging points across Australia.
Increased accessibility
For those looking to buy an EV, you’ll be pleased to know that car manufacturers across the board are releasing a range of models this year. BMW recently launched the iX and iX3, and will also unveil the new i4 in March.
It is also important to consider that the demands on the mobility of the future are also multifaceted. There is not just one solution that can meet all customers’ mobility needs around the world. Someone who lives in a rural area, for example, has different needs than someone who lives in the city.
BMW also believes drivers should have the choice between different drive technologies – combustion engine, plug-in hybrid or fully electric – without having to compromise on performance or design.
With an increase in models available, consumers will naturally have more options to choose from – BMW is invested in delivering greater flexibility and choice to consumers with plans to offer 25 electrified models in its product range by the end of 2023.