Chinese electric vehicle start-up Byton has taken the wraps off its first concept car at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
The company has recruited the former head of BMW’s electric car division, Carsten Breitfeld, along with ex-Apple Mac designer Jeff Chung, to design the electrified SUV concept, reports BBC News.
According to Autocar, Byton’s concept is being positioned as a “premium” SUV and is packed with interior technology, including a dashboard-wide touchscreen control panel with several customisable options.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The large screen, which comprises three connected panels, can be controlled using hand gestures or through a smartphone companion app, the magazine says.
The Byton concept comes with level 3 driverless systems, says Digital Trends, meaning the car can monitor other vehicles on the road and react to situations without a driver’s input.
And it carries the necessary hardware to be upgraded to level 4 autonomy, which can handle more complex tasks such as indicating, braking and steering, the website adds.
TechRadar says the SUV will be in close competition with Tesla’s Model X SUV. The concept’s battery range of 250 miles on a single charge is just 45 miles shy of its rival. A range-topping variant with a 323-mile battery will also be on offer.
Although the base model’s battery range doesn’t quite match the Model X, the website says, the concept’s $45,000 (£33,000) price tag is around half that of Tesla’s SUV.
Byton is expected to put its electric SUV into production in 2019, says Autocar, with sales kicking off in China the same year. The company then plans to enter the US market in 2020.
-
The trial of Jair Bolsonaro, the 'Trump of the tropics'The Explainer Brazil's former president will likely be found guilty of attempting military coup, despite US pressure and Trump allegiance
-
Telephobia: why young people are being taught how to make phone callsIn The Spotlight Young people are so scared of calls that they 'scream' when their phone rings
-
Crossword: September 2, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Are plug-in hybrids better for America's climate goals?Talking Points The car industry considers a 'slower, but more plausible path' to reducing emissions
-
EV market slowdown: a bump in the road for Tesla?Talking Points The electric vehicle market has stalled – with worrying consequences for carmakers
-
The week's good news: Dec. 14, 2023Feature It wasn't all bad!
-
MG4 EV XPower review: what the car critics sayFeature The XPower just 'isn't as much fun' as a regular MG4
-
Volkswagen ID.5 review: what the car critics sayFeature The ID.4's 'sportier, more stylish twin' – but 'don't believe the hype'
-
BMW iX1 review: what the car critics sayThe Week Recommends BMW’s smallest electric crossover has ‘precise’ steering and a ‘smart interior’
-
2023 Peugeot e-2008 review: what the car critics sayThe Week Recommends This small electric crossover has a ‘sophisticated feel’ and a bigger battery than the original
-
Lotus Eletre review: what the car critics sayThe Week Recommends All-electric hyper SUV is not just entertaining to drive – it’s also ‘extraordinarily well made’
