Tech was at full speed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023, and Las Vegas looked like a turbocharged Detroit starting January 3 when it came to vehicle technology, especially electrified technologies.
The automotive participation at the CES 2023 was the biggest ever, with nearly 300 exhibitors, featuring the latest in self-driving tech, electric vehicles and personal mobility devices for land, air and sea.
From BMW and Mercedes-Benz to Volkswagen and Stellantis and others, the world’s leading carmakers displayed their latest concept vehicles and transportation solutions, strengthening the reputation of CES not only as an electronics show, but as one of the best auto shows in the world.
Sony Honda Mobility
The world’s newest mobility company chose a tech show to showcase itself. Established in October 2022, Sony Honda Mobility announced its new brand ‘Afeela’, and unveiled a prototype as a new type of mobility at CES 2023. This prototype is equipped with 45 cameras and sensors inside and outside the vehicle, together with 800 TOPS (Tera Operations per Second) of maximum computing power for ECU.
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Sony Honda Mobility said it will develop the production model based on this prototype. Pre-orders are planned to begin in the first half of 2025, sales by the end of 2025, and delivery from spring in 2026 in North America.
Mercedes-Benz
The German carmaker said it will launch a global high-power Mercedes-Benz-branded charging network. By 2030, there will be 10,000 high-power chargers across the world, starting with the North American network that will be completed by 2027 and will have 2,500 chargers. Mercedes-Benz also showcased a life-size model of the VISION EQXX—a special research vehicle that drives more than 1,200 km on a single battery charge.
BMW
The world’s biggest tech trade fair was the venue for BMW to present its new vision vehicle for the first time: the BMW i Vision Dee, which the carmaker calls a vision of a digital experience. Short for Digital Emotional Experience, Dee is not just a car but an intelligent companion, BMW said. It has the ability to interact with the occupants and even gauge their mood.
Volkswagen
The German carmaker returned to the CES after six years with a very special product, the ID.7. It is Volkswagen’s first all-electric sedan based on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB) platform. It has a range of up to 700 km (WLTP), and will be commercially launched later this year.
Stellantis
Not only Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares delivered the CES 2023 keynote address, the carmaker had one of the biggest displays at the show, including Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept, Peugeot Inception Concept, Jeep Brand 4xe (4xe is the new 4×4), and Dodge Charger Daytona SRT BEV. The carmaker added that it will launch the first Chrysler battery electric vehicle in 2025 and offer a full battery electric portfolio in 2028. Fiat (part of Stellantis) demonstrated the ‘FIAT Metaverse Store’, which it called as the world’s first metaverse-powered interactive showroom.
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John Deere
Not just carmakers, earthmoving companies also took part in the CES 2023. John Deere revealed two new technologies: ExactShot and an electric excavator. ExactShot allows farmers to reduce the amount of starter fertiliser needed during planting by more than 60%. The electric excavator, powered by a Kreisel battery, will provide construction workers and road builders with lower daily operating costs, reduced jobsite noise, enhanced machine reliability, and zero emissions, without sacrificing the power and performance.
VinFast
Vietnamese carmaker VinFast showcased its newest all-electric crossover models, the VF 6 and VF 7. The VF 6 is a small crossover with a maximum range on a full charge of 400 km, and the VF 7 is slightly larger than the VF 6 and has a maximum range on a full charge of 450 km (both WLTP).