Technological advancement is a critical driving force for development, and it's no surprise that the growth and expansion of technology are happening at an extremely rapid rate, faster than any other period in history. Since the line between modern vehicles and tech-heavy features gets increasingly blurry each year, the Consumer Electronics Show has been trending toward the automotive industry. Electric vehicles and semi-autonomous driving are currently all the rage, making CES one of the must-attend events in the yearly automotive calendar.
Although 2022 began with disappointing setbacks, including vendor and media pullouts over COVID-19 cancellations, virtual debuts ensured the show went on, and the result could easily qualify as one of the best CES events in years. CES 2022 was undoubtedly a big blockbuster of new automotive announcements, with most debuts quite close to drivable reality. Here are some of the most remarkable highlights from this year's event.
10 VinFast Range
VinFast may have appeared as another EV risk-taker after a sensational debut at November's Los Angeles Auto Show, but then it made its intentions clear with the new models unveiled at CES 2022. The Vietnamese automaker announced three new EV models and established itself as a serious contender in the SUV segment.
VinFast introduced the VF5 subcompact SUV, the slightly larger VF6 SUV, and the VF7 compact crossover. Although details for these models are still unclear, VinFast confirmed the VF8 would arrive with a 300-mile range for $41,000, while the VF9 boasts a 420-mile range at the cost of $56,000.
9 Sony Vision-S 02
Indeed, Sony is serious about joining the automotive industry after surprising everyone with its second prototype EV. Sony Group Corporation announced an SUV-type concept, dubbed the Sony Vision-S 02, as an initiative to contribute to the evolution of global mobility.
According to Sony, the Vision-S 02 will utilize variations of a 7-seater configuration within its ample interior space to promote the accommodation of varying lifestyles that are now increasingly diversified. Considering the progress already made with public road testing, safety verification, and user experience of the sensing and imaging technology for the Vision-S 01 sedan, we can't wait to see what Sony eventually brings to the realm of mobility.
8 Chrysler Airflow
After giving the public a glimpse of the 'Vision Airflow' at the 2020 CES, Chrysler finally took the wraps off the long-awaited crossover and revealed the vision of its all-electric future. Admittedly, Chrysler's lineup has dwindled in the past decade to just two vehicles, and the concept arrived as a relief that the automaker wasn't ready to head out to pasture.
The fully-functional Chrysler AIrflow EV concept is claimed to house a pair of 150kW electric motors capable of a total of about 400hp. Although battery details are yet to be revealed, Stellantis confirmed that the Airflow had enough onboard storage for 350-400 miles of range per charge. In addition, Chrysler announced plans to deliver by 2025 and hinted at gradually increasing the EV lineup by about four to six models by 2028.
7 Cadillac InnerSpace
The drone-like PersonalSpace and box-on-wheels SocialSpace that Cadillac presented at last year's CES seemingly had little to do with any existing Cadillac, but they did much better at CES 2022. Reminiscent of Audi's Skysphere concept, the Cadillac InnerSpace resembles a futuristic lozenge remixed with cues from the 1967 Eldorado and the 2013 ElMiraj concept.
But, credit to Cadillac because the InnerSpace is an absolute out-of-the-box beauty, both technologically and visually. The concept's roof and doors open to reveal a single love seat that spans the car's width, while a massive screen occupies the dashboard to provide entertainment galore.
6 Chevrolet Equinox EV
GM has been having a field day with electric vehicle reveals in recent months, and Chevrolet dropped yet another bomb by announcing an electric variant of the Equinox. The Equinox EV is expected to utilize the Ultium Platform, similar to newcomers like the GMC Hummer EV and the Cadillac Lyriq.
General Motors CEO Mary Barra announced that the Equinox EV is slated to see the light of day next year, targeting a rather juicy $30,000 starting price. If we had to take a guess, the Equinox EV could cause a mass-market frenzy upon its debut.
5 Chevrolet Blazer EV
In a somewhat mysterious reveal, General Motors' CEO Mary Barra also announced that Chevrolet has a fully-electrified Blazer in the works. According to Barra, the automaker is optimistic about building the EV before the curtain closes in 2023.
Given GM's transition to Ultium battery architecture, the Blazer EV could very well be a longer-range version of the Equinox EV unveiled alongside it rather than an adaptation of the current Blazer model. However, it's very much unclear what the Blazer EV will feel or look like, but all the clues point to a model with a larger footprint than the Equinox EV.
4 BMW iX M60
The all-electric iX SUV already made its debut back in September, but that alone could not stand in the way of Munich's finest, as BMW presented the stunning iX M60 at CES 2022. BMW confirmed the iX M60 would deliver 610hp and up to 811lb-ft of torque, enough power for the SUV to gallop to 60mph in 3.6 seconds.
Unlike other concepts presented at CES, the BMW iX M60 is a market-ready model scheduled to go on sale later in 2022, starting at a rather hefty $106,095. However, for all the iX M60's high-performance capabilities, the 260-mile range and aero-optimized styling are interesting opinion splitters to keep an eye on when the model eventually hits dealerships.
3 BMW iX Flow
Changing a car's exterior paint color at the push of a button has long since been assumed an impossible fantasy, but BMW is determined to change everything with the iX Flow concept. According to BMW, it has discovered a way of utilizing E Ink, the same technology used to make text appear on e-readers.
BMW coated the surface of the iX FLow with millions of capsules of E Ink containing positively charged dark pigments and negatively charged white pigments. The electrical field on the surface consists of two pigments, so color choices are limited to white or gray. Although BMW insists the SUV design is purely experimental, the dramatic color effect shows promise of something exciting sooner than we anticipated.
2 Chevrolet Silverado EV
After the GMC Hummer EV, the Ford F-150 Lightning, and now the Chevrolet Silverado EV, the electric truck market is surely about to explode. Many people speculated that GM would build an electrified adaptation of the existing Silverado, but the EV model the skateboard-platform with similar unibody architecture ass the GMC Hummer EV.
The Chevrolet Silverado EV comes with an integrated bed, ten outlets providing 10.2kW of power, and a 17-inch infotainment screen inside. The range-topping RST First Edition trim will put out 664hp and 780lb-ft of torque, with the ability to tow 10,000lbs and shove another 1,300lbs on the bed.
1 Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX
Mercedes-Benz has established itself at the forefront of electric vehicle technology, but the automaker took things to the next level at CES 2022. The Vision EQXX concept showcased a stunning figure achieved through a slick exterior design and a lightweight bionic structure. In addition, Mercedes-Benz revealed that the Vision EQXX boasted a super-low drag coefficient of 0.17, numbers only seen on pure-bred land speed record cars.
Surprisingly, the aerodynamics are not for blasting records but rather an intelligent way for channeling air under the body to cool the battering to reduce the reliance on the power-draining liquid cooling system. The result is an awe-inspiring 621-mile range achieved from a sub-100 kWh battery pack. Mercedes-Benz Chief Technology Officer Markus Schafer announced that most elements of the EQXX will ultimately make it to production, supposedly as early as 2024.