CES 2018 – Where 220mph EV Corvettes meet Mercedes software debuts

Some of the “innovations” are breathtaking in their audacity. A wifi-enabled mattress, robot dog, Alexa-enabled toilet, toothbrush with a forward-facing camera, autonomous suitcases (they follow you around at up to 7mph) and a 146-inch TV called The Wall (because, er, it is a wall), are some of the breakthroughs this year – without obvious automotive applications.

But often it’s the gubbins behind gadgets like this – the AI and 5G etc – that enable new automotive technology. So what does this year’s CES tell us about next year’s new models?

In simple terms: even larger and flatter dashboard screens, more connectivity and car-to-car communication, more autonomous functions, smarter thinking, driver wellness monitoring – and a lot more chatting between driver and car in the manner of Alexa. The cockpit AI personal assistant? Get used to it. 

A few car companies took the opportunity to show us what future drivetrain technology they are working on. 

The Korean firms took CES very seriously. Hyundai showed a new electric car called the Nexo which stands out among electric cars for having its electricity generated by hydrogen. The gas is stored in two high-pressure tanks and after electrolysis, to keep the lithium-ion battery powered up, emits just water vapour. The 160bhp car’s range is said to be 350 miles.

Hyundai likes hydrogen so much it can even see a use for it in the home, with a fuel cell in the kitchen to power home appliances and take the strain off the national grid.

Sister company Kia took things a stage further by promising to have a hydrogen-powered electric SUV in production for 2020, as part of its pledge to have 16 electrified cars in its range by 2025. Its main exhibit was the Niro EV concept, an SUV based on the current Niro but with full electric drivetrain (power: 200bhp, range: 238 miles) and interactive display panel where the grille would be. This one should be in the showrooms soon.

Long-time electric vehicle leader Nissan showed its MkII Leaf and, more forward-looking, the autonomous-driving IMx concept. Nissan is big on communication between car and driver, so much so that at CES it showed its new B2V (brain-to-vehicle) tech that gets the car to read the driver’s mind. More encouragingly its electric powertrain is said to have more torque than the Nissan GT-R.

From Germany, Mercedes showed how smart and user-friendly a new operating system (it’s called MBUX) for the next A-Class is going to be, while Volkswagen tempted us, again, with the ID Buzz reborn Microbus, this time loaded to gunwales with an electric drivetrain, autonomous driving and AI artificial intelligence. VW took the opportunity again to say it plans to offer more than 20 fully electric vehicles by 2025.

Toyota showed its catchily named e-Palette, memorably said by one observer to look like a cross between a shipping container and a toaster. But then it is a modular transportation platform (what we used to call a “van”) for companies like Amazon, Pizza Hut and Uber.

There were a few new-model surprises, including first look of the Byton electric SUV from China. It looks impressive and certainly has an impressive dashboard: one massive touchscreen.  Production of this one is tipped for 2019.

Another electric SUV came from Faraday Future whose FF91 was shown in a new Stealth Combat finish. With 0-60 said to take 2.39 seconds it’s more than just stealthy.

And, yes, there were sporting cars too: an electric version of the Chevrolet Corvette, said to do 220mph, and the latest from former Aston designer Henrik Fisker: a very cool looking saloon called the Emotion. Electric, of course.