CES_FW_Jan22.qxp 02/02/2022 13:46 Page 1
ON DISPLAY // CES 2022
VEHICLES IN VEGAS Omicron put paid to a number of new vehicles physically being showcased at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). So the event went hybrid, as John Challen reports. Here are just some of the highlights...
Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX It wouldn’t be an automotive event without a ‘Vision’ concept from Mercedes-Benz. In the case of EQXX, it was an opportunity for people to get excited about a theoretical driving range of more than 620 miles. Delve a little deeper than that headline grabber and there are more hints at what to expect from the German manufacturer in future production modules. A battery pack that holds more than 100kWh of energy, but that is 30% lighter than the EQS’ one, for example. Ultra-low rolling resistance tyres, lightweight disc brakes and solar panels on the roof are just three eco solutions that could quite easily get the green light in the coming years.
Hyundai Metamobility Concept Demonstrating its commitment to future mobility, Hyundai used CES 2022 to showcase the role it believes robotics will play. The OEM said the vision was for ‘the real work and the metaverse’, which is a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection, apparently. Back on planet Earth, Hyundai believes that future vehicles will serve as smart devices to access virtual spaces, enabling drivers and passengers to be in a Hyundai, but also in a VR environment at the same time. It almost seems like a world away (no pun intended), but these ideas have a habit of becoming reality, so expect to see it on the Korean cars in the future…
BMW iX Flow While its German rival went down the efficiency route, BMW opted for a car that could change colour. Yep, the iX Flow (featuring E Ink) offers ‘a future technology that uses digitisation to also adapt the exterior of a vehicle to different situations and individual wishes,’ according to BMW. It might seem a bit far-fetched, but BMW claims a variable coloured exterior can improve efficiency by reducing the amount of cooling and heating needed within the vehicle, when coupled with the right exterior hue. In a (slightly) more conventional move, BMW also showed the iX M60 – an even more powerful variant of the iX. With over 600hp and a maximum torque of 1,100Nm from its twin-motor setup, it’s a car that continues to dispel the myth that EVs are dull…
14 fleetworld.co.uk
