BMW Debuts iX3 Flow Edition With E-Ink Bonnet, iX5 Hydrogen Prototype, More at Auto China 2026

Along with the debut of its new 7 Series luxury sedan, iX3 Long Wheelbase and i3 Long Wheelbase, the BMW Group is exhibiting several prototypes, special editions, and technology demonstrations at the Auto China 2026 expo in Beijing this week. The models on display show off the capabilities of BMW’s Neue Klasse platform and digital transformation initiative. Many of the announcements made and the innovations being shown for the first time at the event are specific to the China market, though the company could localise elements of them for other territories.

BMW iX3 Flow Edition Concept

The BMW iX3, based on BMW’s 6th Gen eDrive powertrain, features distinctive Neue Klasse design language with integrated lighting elements, and the Flow Edition is a concept car with an e-ink display integrated into its bonnet. The company wants to show how it can transform the static surface of the bonnet into a dynamic visual element. The e-ink pattern shows a Chinese cityscape with iconic skyscrapers, representing modernity and progress. Users can select one of eight animated lighting patterns, which BMW says it has designed carefully to cater to a range of tastes, from subtle to dramatic.

BMW also says drivers can express their mood using the e-ink array, opening up new possibilities for personalisation. This is the first time that e-ink has been integrated into such a large body panel on a vehicle. While this raises questions about distraction, BMW says the technology is actually suitable for mass production.

BMW iX5 Hydrogen Prototype

The German automaker also showed off a redesigned iX5 Hydrogen. The company has operated a Hydrogen pilot fleet since 2023, but the new iX5 Hydrogen will be its first series-production vehicle with a Hydrogen fuel cell. The company says this brings the benefits of Hydrogen fuel cell technology closer to becoming everyday reality. The vehicle offers all the benefits of an electric car along with longer range and shorter recharging time.

The “Flow Emergence” design of the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen was executed by Designworks Shanghai, and was inspired by Chinese watercolour paintings with gentle colour gradients. It uses water “as a metaphor to visualise the generation and transformation of energy in nature”. BMW also says it “conveys the transition from stillness to movement and the unfolding from within”.

China-specific ADAS features

BMW will offer new driver assistance features developed specifically for Chinese traffic conditions, beginning with the new iX3 and extending to 12 models by the end of 2027.  The company says it aims to solve complex real-world conditions using local AI training data, developed in partnership with Chinese AI firm Momenta. The main advantage is a unique “address-to-address” navigation system.

Another highlight is the cooperative braking system, which allows a driver to use light brake taps to influence the assisted driving system without deactivating it.

BMW Panoramic iDrive with Passenger Screen

The new BMW 7 Series, also based on the Neue Klasse architecture, offers a deeply immersive digital experience for the driver as well as passengers. While the Panoramic iDrive screen is optimised for the driver’s visibility, the first-ever BMW Passenger Screen and enhanced Theatre Screen give passengers their own cinematic experiences for entertainment. The company says even mobile working is improved for rear seat passengers.

In China, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant uses locally optimised DeepSeek AI technology rather than the Amazon Alexa+ system used in the US and Europe. BMW has also developed an entirely custom version of its BMW Operating System X with deep localisations to better integrate Chinese user behaviour and expectations for personalisation as well as local content, services, and technology ecosystems.