The annual CES electronic show in Las Vegas has long been a fascinating world of televisions, drones, video games and audio gears but, in recent years, it has once again become the latest test site for luxury cars.
In all, more than a dozen new car manufacturers were on display at the Las Vegas Convention Center this week, including from as far away as Turkey and Vietnam. There is plenty of news about private cars, the latest car information, and “wearable robots” that can help create “great” factory workers.
Here’s a look at some of the most important CES news from the front of cars:
Electrical installation
This is a big name at CES this year and, with the exception of one, every new car and production model on display is a dirty electric car.
GM’s Chevrolet Silverado EV is the hardest hit. For sale in 2023, it will be another battery-powered alternative to General Motors’ best-selling product line. What may surprise some is that at 664 horsepower and 780 pounds of torque, the electric van is far more powerful than the top-line V-8 Silverado.
Distance is considered one of the biggest challenges to EV use, but the concept of Mercedes-Benz EQXX suggests that next-generation EVs will address a variety of concerns – and more. The soft prototype gets 625 miles per charge and its batteries are 50 percent smaller and 30% lighter than those in the newly launched Mercedes-Benz EQS. No production plans have been announced, but officials say batteries and other technologies will find a way into Mercedes’ electric vehicles.
Performance is another source of new EVs: The 532-horsepower BMW X M60 crossover will hit 60 in 3.6 seconds and the Silverado will need just 4.5 seconds.
From the beginning
Battery cars can help other models redefine themselves – starting with Chrysler. The once famous marquee has disappeared from its appearance, dropping from as many as 12 to just two models today. Now one of the 14 products owned by Euro-American car manufacturer Stellantis, has just a short time to prove why it should not be discontinued. Based on the initial response of the Airflow concept car, make its own case. The name has been borrowed from the success model since 1934 and could reappear as Chrysler’s first EV in 2025. The product plans to use all electricity by 2028.
CES has also released a few car launches from overseas. VinFast, Vietnam’s first automotive company, first tested two electric SUVs in November. It has released three more at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and plans to launch its US retailer network later this year. It is not only planning to reduce competition in price but will also provide an unusual battery rental system, the company said. Another international entry was Togg, a Turkish startup that showcased the concept of high-tech sedan made by the house of the famous designer Pininfarina.
Photo: Sony Vision-S 02 electric car during CES 2022 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Jan. 5, 2022.
Sony Vision-S 02 electric car during CES 2022 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Jan. 5, 2022.Steve Marcus / Reuters
Sony has long been at CES with products such as the Walkman, Trinitron TV and the PlayStation game console. This year, however, the Japanese giant stands out in his Vision-S car and plans to launch the Sony Mobility this spring. The all-electric SUV version is likely to start production in the next few years and, not surprisingly, will have hands-on driving skills and more infotainment technology to keep passengers busy.
Car technology
It’s hard to find a new car without at least one video screen. Some models shown at CES have seven – or more. In the Mercedes Vision EQXX and the Togg Transition Concept, their displays go pillar-to-pillar on the metal panel. Another version of the BMW iX battery-SUV is designed to allow passengers to say “Netflix and Chill,” said the carmaker, with a 31-inch panorama display, ceiling mount, 5G connectivity, up to 8k upgrades and smart TV performance. .
Along with those required screens, future cars will have the ability to rejuvenate the smartphone style atmosphere. CES participants demonstrated a variety of applications, including the ability to download software that can fix remote memory. Upcoming vehicles will allow drivers to download new features, increase EV scope and performance and stream entertainment – all for a fee.
Hands closed
Although coming sooner than many expected, GM’s Ultra Cruise system will be launched next year with a large hand-built Cadillac Celestiq, said chief executive Mary Barra. While its features will eventually be upgraded – using airborne technology, or OTA, – the system is that it will allow drivers to drive safely “on all tarred roads in the U.S. and Canada.”
GM was not alone in talking about independent technology. A variety of self-driving photographs have filled the convention center, as well as exhibits featuring the latest Lidar, radar and other car sensors that can make self-driving cars a reality this decade.
Finally, BMW has shown a possible way to keep your car looking new. Instead of the usual paint, the version of its electric car iX is made of E-ink, the same product used in e-readers. It contains microcapsules dye and, by using electric power, the SUV can turn black, white or any shade of gray. There are no immediate plans to include it in production, the company said.