You might think that CES is full of TVs, laptops, smart home equipment, and all sorts of miscellaneous gadgets. But the annual Las Vegas tech show is also a big tech car show. And with people more environmentally conscious than ever, it’s a no-brainer to see more electric vehicles and related innovations at CES 2023. Here are some of the best.
The Mercedes Benz Vision EQXX is the sexy electric vehicle that makes gas guzzlers drool
Mercedes
The Vision EQXX concept car was designed from the ground up and can travel up to 620 miles on a full charge without adding additional bulky batteries, making this concept car the most efficient Mercedes yet. EQXX has an AI avatar like KITT from Knight Rider, only more futuristic; all of this is in a single free-floating screen. I need to figure out what I find more attractive, the inside or the outside.
Verge TS Ultra Motorcycle has a serious Tron vibe
Virgin Motorcycles
The Verge TS line will arrive in the U.S. in 2023. The top-of-the-line Ultra will have a top speed of 124 mph and can be quickly charged in 25 minutes, making it the coolest bike on the block. With an estimated range of 233 miles on a full charge, the Ultra produces 201 horsepower. The bike can go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. The motor is located on the rear rim, giving the bike a lower center of gravity and allowing for a larger battery in the bike frame. The Ultra will set you back $44,900. If that’s too rich for your blood, there are two other models: the TS Pro for $29,900 and the TS for $26,900.
Who needs an outlet when you have a team?
squad
The Squad is a two-passenger car with a small solar panel on the roof that offers up to 19.2 miles on a sunny day. The golf cart-style vehicle can travel up to 60 miles on a single full charge. The powertrain consists of two 2-kilowatt rear-wheel motors powered by four swappable 1.6 kWh batteries. It has a top speed of just under 30 mph. The car has four-wheel disc brakes, seat belts and a roll cage. It might not be the sportiest car on the block, but it saves you money both at the pump and with its US price of $6,250.
Cycling in the snow
Moonbikes
The Moonbike is a 163-pound bike that is part snowmobile and part bicycle. It can support a rider weight of 264 pounds, puts out 170 Nm of torque, and reaches a top speed of 26 mph. The latest Moonbike adds mobile support to its products, with an iOS and Android app that allows riders to track their trails and altitude, and connect with other moonbikers. The bike currently retails for $8,900.
The BMW concept car is your friend
Technology can be so impersonal. And BMW’s Vision Dee hopes to fix that. Using sophisticated smart intelligence, this concept car eliminates the server problem of Siri and Alexa. Instead, expect it to be your car and your friend. The i Vision Dee is an EV sports car with an exterior made up of 240 E Ink panels. You can use these panels to program a digital face on the car’s grille, since it’s an EV, the venting that a grille normally provides isn’t necessary, or change the car’s colors with a click.
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For now, the BMW i Vision Dee is just a concept, but some of its features will be extended to actual BMW cars. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said, for example, that the AI-powered HUB technology the company put into the i Vision Dee will make it to real cars by 2025. — Daniel Van Boom
There’s actually a flying car going by, for real this time
Bree Fowler/CNET
We’ve been waiting for flying cars since at least the Jetsons, and now we’re on the precipice of making that dream come true. And by “we,” I mean a company called Aska, which revealed its A5 flying car at CES 2023. It’s more than just a concept: Aska has opened pre-orders for the $789,000 vehicle. At CES 2023, Aska co-founder Guy Kaplinsky said Federal Aviation Administration approval for the A5 could happen “within a month.” Aska hopes to use the A5 to start a ride-sharing service in 2026. — Daniel Van Boom
Read more: This $789,000 flying car could get off the ground faster than you think
The Tesla of the sea
Candela’s C8 EV hydrofoil wants to stir up the waters with autonomous technology and more.
candle
As you’ve probably noticed, electric vehicles are hot right now. But why stop on the roads? According to CNET’s Bridget Carey, Candela’s C8 EV boat is a slippery boat that glides through the water like a flying carpet. Aside from making electric vehicles sexy, Candela’s C8 takes cues from Tesla in another key way: its autonomous navigation, where the C8 can follow a set course. The entire boat is made of carbon fiber, including the seats, which explains the $390,000 price tag. — Daniel Van Boom
Read more: CES 2023 Car Tech: The hottest auto news from Las Vegas this week
Sony’s first car will arrive in 2026
James Martin/CNET
Electric vehicles are big business and Sony wants in. The electronics giant has teamed up with Honda on a new electric vehicle brand called Afeela. The Afeela logo appears on a narrow screen, or “media bar”, on the front bumper of the vehicle. This can also interact with people outside the vehicle and share information such as the weather or the car’s state of charge.
Unlike the car that Sony showed off at CES 2020 all those years ago, this one is coming to market. No word yet on pricing, but Sony said its Afeela car will hit American roads in 2026. Japan and Europe will follow. — Daniel Van Boom
A Transformers-inspired bike that fits under a desk
Come on
Is this electric bike more than meets the eye? There’s little risk of mistaking the Tatamel for a robot in disguise, but it’s not often you see an electric bike that can fold up like a Transformer to the size of a suitcase and fit under a desk. At CES 2023, that’s exactly what Japanese company Icoma showed off with the Tatamel. It’s also more than just a last-mile bike. Its power battery can be used to charge devices, which can be useful in an emergency.
Read more: A Transformers-inspired electric bike that folds up to fit under your desk