Auto industry show steals from tech giants

The auto industry has largely said goodbye to once-important auto shows in Geneva, Frankfurt, Paris and Tokyo. But at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which ends this Sunday in Las Vegas (USA), automakers who are so keen to transform into tech companies really played their part.

With the i Vision Dee, BMW presents a Hollywood-ready look to the new electric class that will celebrate its premiere in 2025 with the new 3 Series. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse (58) hunts down US movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger (75) and David Hasselhoff (70) as well as movie cars Herbie and Kitt for his big show. BMW’s “New Class” should not shine with big screens, but should be the ideal companion in road traffic and in life. The electrically powered Dee (Digital Emotional Experience) is a mid-size sedan based on three models, with a classic three-box design, short overhangs and a shrunken interior. The head-up display, which covers almost the entire windshield, is particularly important. Not only is the most important information projected into the driver’s field of vision, the windshield also serves as a great indicator of the future.

Stellantis: 75 new electric models by 2030

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares (64) is having a hard time keeping up with all this fun. But it also shows amazing things in the Nevada desert. On the one hand, the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV, an electric pick-up for the USA, and on the other hand, the electric Dodge Charger Daytona SRT for muscle car fans. But its biggest draw is the Peugeot study Inception Concept, a 680 hp (500 kW) powerful luxury sedan in glass spaceship style with a range of 800 kilometers. With advanced 800-volt battery technology, two electric motors and a 4×4, the four-door coupe sedan should not accelerate to 100 km/h in just three seconds, but should also offer a glimpse into the new design language Peugeot will introduce. French from 2025. But that’s not all: Carlos Tavares explained in his speech that the Stellantis Group intends to launch a total of 75 new electric cars by 2030.

But it’s not just BMW and Stellantis that stand out at this year’s CES. Tech giant Sony has made it clear that it wants to finally get into the auto business. But not with its previous development partner Magna, but with the Japanese manufacturer Honda. Sony, together with the Japanese, is establishing the new brand Afeela, which will produce electric cars from 2026.

Volvo: the world’s safest car

VW reveals a study of the new, electric luxury class sedan ID.7, which fits into the show scene in Las Vegas with a brightly colored camouflage film on its highly aerodynamic body. VW ID.7 will go into mass production by mid-year, travel 700 kilometers on a single charge, and thus become the electric Passat of the near future. In addition to the cool electric flounder EQXX and an oversized super dachshund, Mercedes also offers its own charging network with more than 10,000 fast chargers in the Americas, Europe and China. In cooperation with MN8 Energy, a network of more than 400 charging parks with over 2500 fast chargers (up to 350 kW) by 2027 – open to all manufacturers – will be created based on the Tesla model. With the new EX90 in appearance, Volvo focuses on the technology platform, not design or electric driving. Because there, the Sino-Swedish SUV is setting new standards with numerous sensors, a lidar and eight cameras and wants to be the safest car in the world.

Togg is making its second major appearance at CES after its premiere last year. Next year, the first fully Turkish (electric) car is expected to hit the roads in Turkey. The mid-range car will be available to order in Turkey from next month and across Europe from the end of 2024.

ZF: Heated seat belt

At the CES technology trade fair, supplier ZF is demonstrating a new generation of autonomous shuttle vehicles (level 4) that can be used to transport people in structurally separated lanes within the city. For this purpose, human transport vehicles are equipped with the latest sensor technology consisting of lidar, radar, camera and noise detection systems. We also discovered a heated seat belt at the ZF booth. It’s a good idea – but we wonder if this innovation came a little late given climate change and increasingly mild winters.