Top ten electric vehicles at CES 2023
Global tech giants descended on Las Vegas in January to showcase their new gadgets and innovations. Electric vehicles were the centre of attention at the four-day event, and we have compiled a list of the ten best pieces of electric vehicle tech on display at CES 2023.
ABB E-Mobility Home Charger
Set to go on sale later this year, ABB E-mobility unveiled its new Terra Home charging solution that will enable users to make the best possible use of their renewable energy sources to further reduce their carbon footprint.
With the ability to automatically prioritize electricity from renewable domestic sources, such as solar, ABB E-mobility’s new Terra Home charging solution will also offer intelligent features such as Plug N Charge, which enables instant and automatic recognition between car and charger, making charging authorization completely seamless.
In addition, interactive lighting features indicate the state of the charging session, while notifications on charging status are easily accessible on the ABB E-mobility charger app, which can also be used to authenticate a charge, ensuring that the owner alone can connect to their Terra Home.
Speaking on the news, Leon van de Pas, SVP for the Destination charging business line at ABB E-mobility, said: “As we mark the start of yet another pivotal year in our drive to enable a low-carbon society, the survey results demonstrate that drivers are ready and willing to make the journey alongside us.
“Offering unprecedented user choice, the new Terra Home provides the flexibility for an even greater number of people to simply and stylishly embrace the transition to electric mobility.”
Hyundai Flying Car
Electric vertical take-off and landing – or eVTOL – vehicles were a key theme throughout CES 2023, and Hyundai and Uber’s SA-1 concept was one of the most eye-catching aircrafts on display.
According to the Hyundia and Uber, the SA-1 could be set to take to the skies this year, with Eric Allison, the head of Uber Elevate, claiming that Hyundai could build Uber Air vehicles “at rates unseen in the current aerospace industry” and contribute to the company’s plans to launch an air taxi service.
The SA-1 can fly at speeds up to 180 miles for a range of 80 miles, with plans for the vehicle to be autonomous one day. The eVTOL would also take just seven minutes to recharge, and guests at CES were able to experience the being inside the SA-1 thanks to a virtual reality demonstration hosted by Hyundai.
Hyundai IONIQ 5 Robotaxi
Hyundai, along with Motional – a joint venture from Hyundai and Aptiv – also revealed their latest driverless IONIQ 5 based robotaxi at the CES convention.
Based on the all-electric Hyundai IONIQ 5, the robotaxi is an SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicle that can operate without a driver. The fully-electric vehicle will feature 30 sensors to give the vehicles 360-degree vision, as well as the redundant coverage needed for operating safely in a wide range of driving environments. Combining the input from different types of sensors allows them all to support one another by combining their strengths to give a full, comprehensive view of the world. For example, radar isn’t impacted by weather, LiDAR provides range and distance data, and cameras can identify different objects.
With plans for the IONIQ 5 robotaxi to launch this year, Motional confirmed that the vehicle will first be available in Los Angeles, before rolling out to other cities.
BMW iVision Dee
Perhaps the most viral electric car from the CES 2023 show is BMW’s ‘colour changing car,’ the iVision Dee.
The futuristic mid-size sedan turned a lot of heads when it pulled onto the stage in Las Vegas, and it soon did the rounds on social media when BMW demonstrated its ‘Digital Emotional Experience’ – Dee – which is represented by the car’s colour changing technology, with the body of the car able to switch between 32 different shades.
“With the BMW i Vision Dee, we are showcasing what is possible when hardware and software merge. In this way, we are able to exploit the full potential of digitalisation to transform the car into an intelligent companion. That is the future for automotive manufacturers – and, also, for BMW: the fusion of the virtual experience with genuine driving pleasure,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “At the same time, BMW i Vision Dee is another step on the road to the NEUE KLASSE. With this vision, we are looking far into the future and underlining the tremendous importance of digitalisation for our upcoming product generations.”
The vehicle will also feature an innovative head-up display which will extend across the whole windscreen, something BMW has already confirmed will be available in the models of the Neue Klasse platform of models released towards the middle of the decade. Production for the iVision Dee is scheduled for 2025 and will be the successor to the manufacturer’s i3 saloon.
Mercedes’ ‘Avatar’ inspired car
Movie director James Cameron has shifted his attention from creating masterpieces on the big screen to creating masterpieces for the road. Cameron has worked alongside Mercedes-Benz to create the concept ‘AVTR’ – an electric vehicle inspired by the recently released Avatar sequel.
The concept – which will not enter production any time soon, if at all – features spherical wheels which were based on seeds from the films ‘Tree of Souls’, and the body of the car also features 33 “bionic flaps” which supposedly represent scales. The car will also be completely autonomous, hence the lack of steering wheel.
The car may just be a bit of fun between Mercedes and James Cameron, but it represents the direction of the electric vehicle industry and the endless possibilities available to it.
Byton M-Byte
From the ridiculous to the realistic, new Chinese electric vehicle brand Byton unveiled its M-Byte which is set to rival the likes of the BMW X3 with a burly frame but with a 268-hp electric motor and a 0-60mph time of 7.5 seconds.
Whilst the exterior of the car is modest in comparison to the other vehicles on display at CES, the M-Byte’s interior is fittingly futuristic with a 48-inch infotainment screen which stretches all the way across the dashboard, which it claims will be the largest infotainment screen ever used in a production vehicle.
The steering wheel will also feature another tablet-styled screen, with the passenger also able to interact with the display using their very own touchpad.
Details on production and a release date are few and far between, however Byton have confirmed the range of the vehicle, with 72-kWh and 95-kWh variants offering ranges of 224 miles and 286 miles respectively.
Tropos Motors electric fire response vehicle
Silicon Valley-based manufacturer Tropos Motors showcased its fully electric fire engine, designed to be more compact than other fire engines in order to enter garages, parking lots and factories.
Standing at just 6”5 (195cm) the ABLE FRV is ready to serve in spaces large or small, indoors or out, and is equipped with a Kimtek Firelite Transport FDHP-301-125: an industry proven unit with a low-profile and low center of gravity.
This low-cost, low-maintenance alternative has a variable range of 40–120 miles, and an etronically adjustable top speed of 40+ mph on closed campuses. According to Tropos, the ABLE FRV is a “great option for a budget-minded operation looking to add an indoor-safe fire response unit to their fleet of apparatus.”
Sony Honda Mobility’s Afeela
There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Sony’s venture into the EV market ever since the tech giant conformed plans to manufacturer electric vehicles in January 2022. With the launch of Sony Mobility followed by a partnership with Honda to develop its first EV ready for 2025, the company used CES 2023 to unveil a new autonomous concept car.
Sony expects autonomous vehicles to be the “mega-trend” of the decade, and so Sony Honda Mobility took to the CES 2023 stage to pull the covers off ‘Afeela’. Previously named ‘Vision S’, the vehicle will contain 45 cameras and sensors, ranging from lidar to radar and in-car cameras.
As expected, Sony is staying close to its tech-routes with the introduction of a huge, dashboard-length infotainment screen, and the vehicle’s capabilities will supposedly be able to cope with up to 800 trillion (yes, trillion) operations per second.
Sony Honda Mobility will also use augmented reality and cloud data, as well as partnering with Epic Games to “seamlessly integrating real and virtual worlds, and exploring new entertainment possibilities through digital innovations such as the metaverse.”
Deliveries of the new electric sedan are expected for 2026 in North America, with pre-orders open from the first half of 2025.
Foxconn and Nvidia
Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn and Nvidia announced a partnership to develop automated and autonomous vehicle platforms.
Foxconn, best known for its work on Apple products, will be the primary manufacturer of the vehicles which will use Nvidia’s electronic control units and sensors that enable highly automated driving.
The move is the latest step in Foxconn’s electric vehicle strategy, having outlined plans to invest $170 million in EV start-up Lordstown Motors Corp, as well as entering into a joint venture with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign-wealth fund to manufacture electric vehicles.
According to Reuters, Nvidia said the tie-up will allow it to scale efforts to meet growing demand for chips made for autonomous and connected vehicles.
Volkswagen ID.7!
One of the highlights of CES 2023 was the official unveiling of the Volkswagen ID.7! the manufacturer’s first fully-electric sedan based on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB).
According to Volkswagen, the brand-new EV, which was camouflaged for its public debut, follows the design language of the fully electric ID. model family with an aerodynamic front section and roof, which both help to reduce energy consumption and increase the range up to 434 miles.
The interior of the vehicle will feature a new display concept, with an augmented reality head-up display as well as a 38-centimeter (15-inch) screen. The new air conditioning concept with intelligent vents offers a number of functions. For instance, the ID.7 can detect when the driver is approaching based on their key and will already start to cool the interior on hot summer days or heat the interior on cold days before the driver gets into the vehicle.
“With the new ID.7, we are extending our electric model range into the upper segments. The sedan will offer top-class technology and quality. The ID.7 is one of ten new electric models that we are planning to launch by 2026. Our goal? To deliver suitable products for our customers in every single segment,” said Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars.
After the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and ID.6 (only in China) models and the new ID. Buzz, the ID.7 will be the sixth model from the ID. family and is Volkswagen’s second global car to be based on the MEB after the ID.4. It is planned to launch the electric sedan in the three primary markets of China, Europe and North America. The ID.7 for the European market will be produced at the Volkswagen Emden plant. After the ID.4, it will be the second model based on the modular electric drive matrix to be built in Emden.
HOLON autonomous ‘Mover’
Benteler-owned Holon has showcased its autonomous ‘Mover’ shuttle designed for ride-hailing and ride-sharing applications.
It might be hard to imagine considering its boxy, toaster-inspired design, but these ‘Mover’s’ are part of a collaboration with Pininfarina, the Italian design company responsible for the Pininfarina Battista hypercar.
The Mover won’t quite be able to keep up with the Battista’s top speed of 217mph, far from it – it will be limited to approximately 37mph with a range of 180 miles and level four autonomous driving, although full technical information has not yet been released.
Holon plans to begin manufacturing of the Mover in the United States in 2025, with plans for factories in Europe, Asia and/or the Middle East to also build the Mover in the future.
