CES 2018: Byton EV packs massive 48-inch screen
New Chinese EV brings Tesla Model X-rivalling speed to Las VegasWhat accelerates to 100km/h in around five seconds, has a massive 48-inch screen carved into its dashboard and will allegedly deliver supreme luxury from around $57,000?
Why the Byton EV of course!
Pitched as the world’s first smart intuitive vehicle (SIV), the vehicle and the Byton brand itself debuted at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
The company intends to build the car in Nanjing, China, from 2019 before its launch in North America, Europe and possibly even Australia from 2020.
Byton has ambitious plans to soak up customers sick of waiting for their Tesla Model 3 and others looking at electric vehicles like the Jaguar I-PACE.
The Byton EV has some really cool features but it remains to be seen whether the production versions retains them all come 2019.
Like the Apple iPhone X, the Byton features facial recognition to unlock the doors, a giant 48-inch LED infotainment-cum-instrument display, a steering-wheel mounted touch-screen and small door cameras to replace the side mirrors.
Taking a few tips from the Tesla playbook, Byton will offer its new SUV with either one or two electric motors pumping out at least 200kW and up to 350kW.
Two battery pack sizes are being mooted too, 71kWh or 95kWh, the latter good for an almost 500km (300-mile) journey, says Byton.
Charging? Byton reckons the batteries can be recharged to almost 80 per cent in around 30 minutes – assuming you've got a fast-charger handy.
It's true that the Byton concept is yet another Chinese EV, several of which over the past few years have failed to materialise.
Faraday Future, for example, is haemorrhaging cash, rapidly losing executives and a far cry from its glitzy launch at the 2017 CES.
Faraday Future was in Vegas this week, but not at the show. It was providing test drives of its FF 91 EV to the media from a hotel in Las Vegas.
Can Byton do any better?
Two auto industry execs founded the Byton project: Carsten Breitfeld, who spent 20 years working at BMW, including on the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid, and former managing director of Infiniti China, Daniel Kirchert.
There were a handful of new car launches at the 2018 CES, including the Kia Niro EV, the Hyundai NEXO FCEV and Toyota’s odd-ball self-driving e-Pallette.
But Byton was one of the few surprises, launching a new car and new brand simultaneously. Will it become more than just vapourware?
Stay tuned.
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