The new electric cars, electric bikes, and ride-on cars we saw at CES 2023

CES is the place to see what’s new (and it’s weird) technology showed itself from the jaw-dropping first televisions for smart kitchen gadgets. It is also the best place to see the most high-end and innovative cars powered by renewable energy.

Sustainability and environmental friendliness are growing trends in every segment of the tech industry, so it’s a no-brainer to see more electric cars and related innovations at CES 2023. Here are some of the best.

The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX is a sexy EV that makes gas guzzlers squeal

The Vision EQXX concept car has been designed from the ground up and has a range of 620 miles on a full charge without adding bulky batteries, making it the most efficient Mercedes concept ever. EQXX has an AI avatar like KITT from Knight Rider, only more futuristic; all in one free-floating screen. I have to figure out which I find more attractive, internal or external.

The Verge TS Ultra Motorcycle has serious Tron vibes

The Verge TS line will arrive in the US in 2023. The top-of-the-range Ultra will have a top speed of 124 mph and can charge up quickly in 25 minutes, making it the coolest bike on the block. With an estimated range of 233 miles on a full charge, the Ultra has 201 horsepower. The bike can accelerate from 0-100 mph in 2.5 seconds. The motor is located on the rear rim, giving the bike a lower center of gravity and allowing for a larger battery to fit in the bike frame. The Ultra will cost you $44,900. If that’s too rich for your blood, there are two other models: the $29,900 TS Pro and the $26,900 TS.

Who needs a speech when you have staff?

The Squad is a two-seater with a small solar panel on the roof that covers 19.2 miles on a sunny day. The golf cart-style vehicle can travel 60 miles on a single charge. The powertrain consists of two 2-kilowatt in-wheel motors in the rear wheels, powered by four replaceable 1.6-kWh batteries. Its top speed is less than 30 miles per hour. The car has four-wheel disc brakes, seat belts and a roll cage for safety. It may not be the sportiest car on the block, but it packs a punch both at the pump and on the $6,250 US price.

Ride a bike in the snow

Weighing in at 163 pounds, the Moonbike is part snowmobile, part bicycle. It can support a driver weighing 264 pounds, delivers 170 nm of torque and reaches a top speed of 26 mph. The latest Moonbike adds mobile support for its products, with an iOS and Android app that allows riders to track their route and altitude and connect with other moonbikers. The bike currently sells for $8,900.

BMW’s concept car is your friend

Technology can be so impersonal. BMW’s i Vision Dee hopes to fix that. Using sophisticated artificial intelligence, this concept car moves away from the attendant schtick of Siri and Alexa. Instead, it hopes to double as both your car and your friend. The i Vision Dee is an EV sports car whose exterior consists of 240 E Ink panels. You can use these panels to program a digital face on the car’s grille — since it’s an EV, you don’t need the ventilation that a grille normally provides — or change the car’s colors with the push of a button.

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The BMW i Vision Dee is just a concept for now, but some of its features will make it to actual BMW cars. For example, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said the AI-powered HUB technology the company put into the i Vision Dee will come to real cars in 2025. — Daniel Van Boom

The flying car is happening for real this time

We have been waiting for flying cars for hours at least The Jetsons and we now seem on the precipice of realizing that dream. And by “we,” I mean Aska, a company that showed off its A5 flying car at CES 2023. It’s more than a concept: Aska has opened pre-orders for the $789,000 car. At CES 2023, Aska co-founder Guy Kaplinsky said that Federal Aviation Administration approval for the A5 could happen “within a month.” Aska hopes to use the A5 to launch a ride-sharing service in 2026. — Daniel Van Boom

Read more: This $789,000 Flying Car Can Get Off The Ground Faster Than You Think

Tesla of the sea

As you’ve probably noticed, EVs are hot right now. So why stop on the roads? According to CNET’s Bridget Carey, Candela’s C8 EV hydrofoil boat is a smooth craft that glides through the water like a flying carpet. Aside from making EVs sexier, Candela’s C8 takes cues from Tesla in another key way: with an autonomous boat that the C8 can follow on a given course. The entire boat, including the seats, is made of carbon fiber, which explains the $390,000 price tag. — Daniel Van Boom

Read more: CES 2023 Automotive Tech: The best car news to come out of Las Vegas this week

Sony’s first car will be released in 2026

Electric cars are big business, and Sony wants to get in on the act. The electronics giant is teaming up with Honda on a new electric car brand called Afeela. The Afeela logo appears on the narrow screen or “media bar” on the front bumper of the car. It can also communicate with people outside the car and share information such as the weather or the car’s state of charge.

Unlike the car Sony showed off at CES 2020, this car is actually coming to market all those years ago. No word yet on pricing, but Sony says the Afeela will hit North American roads in 2026. Japan and Europe will follow. — Daniel Van Boom

A Transformers-inspired bike that fits under a desk

Is there more to this electric bike than meets the eye? There’s little risk of mistaking Tatamel for a robot in disguise, but you don’t often see an electric bike that can fold up to the size of a suitcase and fit under a table like a Transformer. At CES 2023, Japanese company Icoma demonstrated just that with Tatamel. It’s more than just a last mile bike. Its electric battery pack can be used to charge devices that may come in handy in an emergency.

Read more: A Transformers-inspired EV Bike that folds up to fit under your desk