CES 2022: EVs and Future of Automotive Tech Took Center Stage

Electric vehicles continue to dominate the automotive industry. At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, electric vehicles and future automotive tech took center stage. Several automakers turned CES into an auto show to debut their future electric vehicles (EVs) and EV technology that we could soon see on the road.

Chrysler gave a look at its future EV lineup with the Airflow Vision concept, which might preview a production model that will arrive by 2025. The Airflow Vision concept is an electric crossover that’s based on a new EV platform, which would rival the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The big news is that the Airflow Vision is powered by two electric motors and has a driving range between 350-400 miles. Chrysler won’t confirm if it plans to build the Airflow Vision concept, but it did announce that the brand will go fully electric by 2028.

Chevy currently offers the Bolt and Bolt EUV electric vehicles, but it’s about to release what could be its most popular EV yet: the Silverado EV. The full-size pickup truck is the perfect rival to the Ford F-150 Lightning. But unlike the Ford, the Chevy Silverado EV is based on a new EV platform. Since it’s based on a new platform, it looks completely different than the internal-combustion Silverado.

The Silverado EV comes standard with a dual-motor powertrain, which generates a combined 664 horsepower and it has a driving range up to 400 miles, which beats the F-150 Lighting with its 300-mile range. The 2024 Chevy Silverado EV will go on sale in spring 2023 and the demand is already incredibly high for the new electric truck. Chevy filled the reservations for the Silverado EV First Edition in only 12 minutes.

The 2024 Silverado EV wasn’t the only Chevy EV in the news at CES, since Chevy also released the first photos of the Equinox EV—an electric version of the compact crossover. The 2024 Equinox EV will have a driving range of around 300 miles and Chevy is targeting a starting price of around $30,000. The Equinox EV will arrive in fall 2023, which will then be joined by a new Blazer EV as well.

Chevy wasn’t the only brand under the General Motors umbrella to make the headlines at CES. Cadillac also used the show to show off its latest concept, the InnerSpace. The automaker is going to release the new Lyriq electric crossover later this year, but with the InnerSpace concept, it is showing off how it envisions a future self-driving two-person EV.

The autonomous Cadillac InnerSpace concept is based on GM’s Ultium platform, which is also used by the Chevy Silverado EV. Unlike today’s EVs which have their battery packs placed on the floor of the vehicle, the InnerSpace concept’s wireless battery management system allows the battery modules to be spread across various spots in the vehicle. This gave the designers even more freedom to give the InnerSpace a low floor and spacious interior for two. Inside the interior looks as comfy as your living room with its reclining seats and panoramic LED display. The InnerSpace concept also features augmented reality, entertainment, and “Wellness Recovery” themes on the screen.

Mercedes-Benz has already released several electric models under its EQ sub-brand, but it’s already thinking about the future with the debut of the Vision EQXX concept. The sleek Vision EQXX is an aerodynamic sedan with a 620-mile range, which is double the range of most of the recent electric cars to hit the market. The concept also features solar panels that can add up to 15 miles of range and an interior that’s focused on sustainability. The seats are made out of mushrooms or cactus fibers, while the carpet is made from bamboo. Mercedes-Benz hasn’t announced if it will build a production version of the Vision EQXX concept, but it does say that it serves as a “technology blueprint for series production.” As we previously noted: "Many of the sustainable ideas could potentially be important steps toward more sustainable car production but only time will tell its true impact, if and when it becomes a reality."

Even Sony made headlines at the show with the debut of its second concept car: the Vision-S 02 electric crossover. The new concept is a follow-up to the Vision-S concept that Sony revealed at CES in 2020. Sony has yet to confirm if it actually plans to introduce an electric car, but instead, the concept showcases several new technologies. This includes the addition of LiDAR sensors and a fully-digital integrated video service called Bravia Core that displays images on a large panoramic screen. There are also individual screens in the back to let passengers play their favorite PlayStation games. We’ll have to wait and see if Sony does decide to produce either concept, but it has announced the launch of a new division called Sony Mobility that will study the idea of a Sony electric car.

Major automakers weren’t the only companies to show off their vision of the future at CES. Electric Last Mile Solutions (ELMS) used the show to talk about the all-electric vans that it’s currently building in Mishawaka, Indiana. Its Urban Delivery electric van has 110 miles of range and a starting price of around $34,000 before any tax incentives.

Vietnam’s VinFast showed off three new electric vehicles at the Las Vegas Convention Center, which follow the introduction of two other EVs at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year. The relatively unknown company plans to launch a U.S. dealer network later this year and it will also offer a unique battery leasing program for its EVs.

Each year CES continues to show off the latest technological advancements, but now that automakers have jumped on the show, electric cars have stolen the spotlight.

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