Las Vegas — While CES is not technically an auto show, vehicle technology made up a large portion of the show’s footprint. Many new electric vehicles made their world premieres at CES last week.
BMW premiered its new i Vision Dee concept car. In case you are wondering, the “Dee” stands for digital emotional experience. One of the two I Vision Dees features E ink technology that allows the exterior to change to 32 colors. This offers a glimpse of what a future BMW electric vehicle could look like in 2025 and beyond.
Mercedes-Benz debuted its Vision EQXX electric concept vehicle to big crowds. It features an energy-dense 100 kWh battery that’s 30 percent lighter and 50 percent smaller. The concept exceeds 620 miles of electric range. On the inside, it features a real time 3D navigation system.
Lightyear cars displayed their solar-powered electric car called Lightyear 0. It can achieve up to 49 miles of electric range per day while sitting or driving in the sun. In addition, the car can also be plugged in on cloudy or rainy days. The Dutch company also previewed its upcoming model, called Lightyear 2, which will be coming to the U.S. and will be priced at around $40,000.
“We say you can drive for months without charging,” said Jasper Van Laanen, head of product marketing at Lightyear Cars. “The car is covered in 54 square feet of solar panels just about 782 solar cells on the roof, on the trunk and on the hood of the car. It’s a battery-powered electric vehicle but the solar panels double your battery with clean, free, solar energy everyday.”
Stellantis unveiled its all new Ram 1500 Revolution battery electric pickup truck and its Peugeot Inception Concept. While Ram might be the last of the big three American automakers to offer an electric truck, Stellantis says the 1500 BEV will offer the most range, towing, payload and charge time.
“From the new Ram track, which is a rail attachment system to the personally configurable center console to the frunk as well as to the bed, the Ram Revolution offers workstation flexibility from the front to the back,” said Mike Koval Jr., CEO of the Ram brand. “Ram is ushering in new third-row jump seats. The power midgate features jump seats with a removable lower section for placement in the bed or outside the vehicle. Now, this takes tailgating to a whole new level, literally.”
The 1500 Revolution BEV will add up to 100 miles of range in just 10 mins using DC fast charging. The concept truck comes with side view mirrors that are smaller, lightweight and are made of 3D printed materials for reduced drag. It also features a modern Ram badge on the front.
Peugeot premiered their all-new Inception electric concept car. It was designed on one of the four Stellantis Group “BEV-by-design” electric platforms. The Inception is equipped with a 100-kWh battery that allows it to travel 800 km (about 497 miles) on a single charge. It has two electric motors–one at the front and the other at the rear. The vehicle can be charged at up to 18 miles of range per minute or about 93 miles in about five minutes. The Inception concept shows off the future of the Peugeot brand from 2025 onwards.
“Instead of a cabin, we’ve created a new space–a lounge,” said Linda Jackson, CEO of the Peugeot brand. “Instead of seats, an extended-fit armchair. Instead of a dashboard, an open, upgraded living space. The intelligent storage welcomes everything you’d expect in a living room. Your tablet, phone, drinks, bag, anything you expect around you.”
Sony showed off its AFEELA autonomous prototype vehicle that it is producing with Honda. Sony says the vehicle comes with a total of 45 cameras and sensors on the inside and the outside. The company says it will develop a production vehicle based on the concept one shown at CES. Pre-orders are scheduled to begin in the first part of 2024 with deliveries taking place in spring 2026.
“If you take the heart of what the name is, drop the first A and the last A, it’s all about the feel,” said Larry Harrison with Sony marketing. “The driver, the passenger and also the rear seat passengers can have a total multimedia experience. There is music, movies or even gaming with the integration of PlayStation into the car. It allows you to have a full entertainment experience on the road.”
Volkswagen introduced its all new ID.7 all electric sedan at CES. It features a digital camouflage paint scheme that looks like a QR code. The ID.7 is expected to achieve up to 435 miles of electric range. The production version of the ID.7 is expected to debut in the second quarter of this year.
Stay with AmericaJR for more coverage from CES 2023…
Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson describes the Inception concept car at CES. 
Futuristic interior of the Peugeot Inception 
Introducing the BMW i Vision Dee 
The Lightyear 0 solar-powered electric car was on display 
It can achieve up to 49 miles of electric range per day when parked or driven in the sun 
The Ram 1500 Revolution electric pickup truck made its debut 
A look inside the Ram 1500 Revolution 
Volkswagen premiered its all-new ID.7 electric car 
Sony and Honda teamed up for this AFEELA prototype vehicle 
It features a Sony Playstation gaming console for the passenger