The tech-filled Byton electric car has officially been unveiled at CES 2018. It’s a sleek SUV filled with smart technology and high-end specs – and there’s even a host of new concept images showing off the vehicle’s interior and exterior in all its luxe glory.
Prior to the Consumer Electronics Show, we were given a sneak peak at the Byton car created by a spin-off of Chinese tech startup Future Mobility, noting how it blends a massive infotainment setup with level 4 self-driving capabilities.
But now we can get a full view of the Byton. As its teaser images suggested, it sports an angular, swept-back SUV design.
However, it also has a few swish features that weren’t hinted at the initial teasing Byton did ahead of CES 2018 in the outlines.
Such features include the way the front seats turn to face the rear one when the car is in autonomous mode, as well as the presence of large displays attached to the rear of the front seats to provide rear passenger entertainment and information.
Apparently able to make the sprint to 60mph in around five seconds, the $45,000 Byton is not as nippy as similar Tesla cars, but offers a more tech-heavy experience. Eventually this should allow drivers to abandon the wheel and interact with the infotainment suite on offer, which they can do using touch, voice or gesture controls.
Here’s a handful of our favourite Byton car concept images for your pleasure. Looks pretty swish, no?
Byton electric car in pictures
Byton Electric Car: The road ahead
When the first car rolls off the production line it will only be capable of level 3 autonomous driving, meaning a driver will need to remain alert when behind the wheel.
The BBC reported that there are concerns over the charging infrastructure Byton will need to support its electric cars. The company has ambitions to enter into partnership with Tesla, which has fast-charging stations in place around the world.
“It seems highly unlikely that Tesla will want to share the infrastructure they’ve worked so hard to build with a rival – unless there’s some kind of altruistic view that it’s for the greater good,” commented Ben Wood, an analyst at CCS Insight told the BBC.
“It underlines the challenges of electric vehicles. Building the cars is relatively simple these days, but you need everything that goes around it. Charging infrastructure, more than anything, is the challenge.”
That being said, Tesla has in the past been open to sharing its charging stations, and Byton is confident that it can overcome any charging road bumps.
We’ll have to wait until the end of 2019, when the Byton cars are expected to hit the road en masse, to see if the company’s confidence pays off.
Related: Best concept cars
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
