Chinese startup Future Mobility Corp's new brand, Byton, will introduce its first electric vehicle at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next week.
According to Byton, as people spend an increasing amount of time inside vehicles, the future of mobility isn't just about improving the driving experience via upgraded mechanics. It's also about being connected to the environment through technology. Thus, the company has developed what they call the "next-generation smart device" — the Smart Intuitive Vehicle (SIV).
Byton has yet to reveal the all-electric crossover's exterior. However, the Chinese startup has released teasers for some of the technologies that will be featured in the upcoming vehicle.
The dashboard features an LCD screen that spans almost the entire length of the vehicle. It will have a tablet-like interface with facial and voice recognition. There appears to be a touchpad for hand-gesture controls as well. The steering wheel also has a small screen in the middle where the horn and airbag is typically located.
Byton mentioned that all passengers will have access to 5G internet with a bandwidth of up to 1000 MB/s. This will allow them to enjoy a variety of digital services such as streaming television shows, video chatting, playing games and getting work done.
In terms of technical specifications, Byton's SIV will reportedly be powered by a 201-horsepower electric motor at the front and a 268-horsepower electric motor at the rear. The base model will have a 71-kWh battery that has a range of 217 miles while an upgraded version will have a 95-kWh battery with a 311-mile range.
The electric vehicle is also expected to have hardware that is capable of Level 5 autonomous driving. Though there won't be full autonomous functionality at launch, future over-the-air updates will allow the vehicle to gradually transition as the technology becomes available.
Byton's upcoming electric vehicle will make its world premiere on Sunday, Jan. 7. Production will take place in Nanjing, China in 2019. It will then arrive in the United States in 2020.
