It’s the end of the year, which means that the Consumer Electronics Show is right around the corner. Yet amid all the blockchain-powered juicers, voice-activated bidets and endless money-pit VTOL prototypes, on the show floor will sit several cars. In recent years, CES has become an auto show in its own right as the car industry has gone increasingly electrified, automated and digitally focused. It does mean America gets a replacement January auto show now that Detroit has moved. After all, car companies are now tech companies, so why not show off future-focused ideas alongside every other bit of gadgetry and code marketed as the future?
As such, we’re looking forward to CES because new cars are always cool to hear about, and CES debuts play a sizeable role in shaping the future of the industry. You might not buy any of the cars unveiled—or even be able to—but you might eventually buy something with similar tech.
Without further ado, here are the cars we’re most looking forward to at CES 2023.
BMW Vision Concept
What it is: A look at the next generation of Bavarian EVs.
Why it matters: Well, a world without new sports sedans would suck, and BMW popularized the genre in the modern sense. The i4 is already on sale, but it’s a conversion car based on the existing gasoline-powered 4 Series Gran Coupe. Meanwhile, BMW’s readying a ground-up EV platform called Neue Klasse which should underpin the next i3 and iX3. Expect up to 1,341 horsepower, while cylindrical batteries with significantly greater energy density than BMW’s current battery tech should boost range and cut charging times.
If anyone’s well-positioned to wage war with Tesla in the small premium EV space, it’s most certainly BMW. Let’s see what happens.
Oh, and in case a new EV platform doesn’t float your boat, Motor 1 reports that BMW’s doing something voice-related called “Dee.” Whatever that is, it’s being promoted on the company’s social media accounts by David Hasselhoff and the Knight Industries Two-Thousand, otherwise known as KITT. It sounds strange, but Pontiac did have a similar signature grille design to BMW, and KITT was really the first talking car embedded in mainstream culture.
Ram Revolution Concept
What it is: It’s a Ram pickup truck that’s entirely electric.
Why it matters: With Ford already building its electric pickup truck and Chevrolet launching one of its own, it’s about damn time that Ram brought a juiced-up truck to the party. From Rivian to F-150 Lightning to whatever’s going on with the Tesla Cybertruck, electric trucks are quite literally the next big thing in the EV space, so it only makes sense for Ram to join the bandwagon.
Not only is the Ram Revolution concept likely to be near-production, it’s also from the same company that makes the TRX. What manner of brashness can we expect from this EV? Ram seems to have held back on this one to see what features other manufacturers have implemented, so there’s every chance that the Ram Revolution will blow us away. So far, only teasers of a crew cab model have been shown off, so will electric trucks mark the death of the regular cab? I guess we’ll just have to wait until Jan. 5 and beyond to find out.
Sony Honda Mobility
What it is: Basically a PlayStation and a Honda mashed into one.
Why it matters: Remember those fantastic-looking Sony concept cars from a few years ago like the Vision-S sedan pictured above? Well, the Japanese electronics company has officially teamed up with Honda to build some cars utilizing both Sony’s tech expertise and Honda’s car expertise. The result sounds brilliant – PlayStation-grade tech with fizzy Honda engineering.
This time though, that melding isn’t a result of an EG Civic owner who wanted to play Gran Turismo at car meets. Expect Sony Honda Mobility to roll out a production model in 2026, with a concept dropping at CES in January. Don’t expect to see this eventual production car in dealers, though. Reuters reports that SHM is going direct-to-consumer with online sales, exactly like Tesla.
Oh, and the company shares initials with Swedish House Mafia, so that’s cool.
Volkswagen ID.AERO Production Version
What it is: An all-electric sedan from Volkswagen. We’ve already seen the concept version earlier this year, but Volkswagen seems ready to announce a production-spec model.
Why it matters: Somehow, Hyundai and Volkswagen are the only two mainstream non-premium automakers that have firmly pledged to make electric family sedans so far. Shocking, especially considering the enduring popularity of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry in America.
Still, Volkswagen’s doing its part to keep the midsize sedan alive with what will supposedly be called the ID.7, a wise move considering how frontal area plays a huge role in EV efficiency. Reject crossover, return to sedan, embrace efficiency gains, etc. Oh, and fingers crossed Volkswagen’s vow to ditch capacitive touch controls extends to this new sedan. Now, if only we could get a wagon variant.
So there we are, the four cars I’m most excited about at CES. Mind you, these four cars aren’t the only things making it to the show. Chrysler will have an updated Airflow concept, Peugeot is bringing something called the Inception, and Italdesign will have a booth. Next week will be an interesting one for concept cars, so expect us to keep our eyes open and deliver you all the fresh news. What are you looking forward to seeing from CES?
(Photo credits: BMW, Ram, Sony, Volkswagen)
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“PlayStation-grade tech with fizzy Honda engineering.”
So.. you only get about 2 hours out of the batteries?
I hope the Airflow at least suggests the original. I’m a sucker for the Machine Modern end of Art Deco
Wider kidneys, not taller kidneys! Let’s go 507/Z8-style!
IMO the headlights should’ve been built into the kidneys starting way back with the original Neue Klasse in 1962. The ’59 Pontiac had already shown the way, all BMW had to do was copy it.