EVs have a major moment
Rapper Ludacris may not be able to get a free Tesla, but EVs starred alongside him at the Consumer Electronics Show, writes Dalvin Brown.
Apparently, it’s pretty hard getting a free Tesla out of billionaire chief executive Elon Musk. The rapper and Fast & Furious franchise star Ludacris told USA TODAY last week that he hasn’t had much luck scoring one of the EVs, even though one of Tesla’s driving modes has a strikingly similar name.
‘‘We’ve been trying to get a free car out of my man Elon Musk for a long time. But ‘Ludicrous Mode’ I guess, wasn’t Ludacris mode,’’ the Grammy award-winning musician said ahead of a glitzy performance hosted by Spotify during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
For those who don’t know, the Palo Alto-based automaker launched ‘‘Ludicrous Mode’’ in 2016, a powertrain that enables the Model S to sprint from 0 to 60 in under
3 seconds. Ludacris hit the car scene in a big way in 2003, after the rubber cooled on the set of the crime thriller
2 Fast 2 Furious. The next instalment hits theatres later this year.
The actor, who has started selling off much of his car collection lately, said if he goes electric, a batterypowered motorcycle is more his speed.
All jokes aside, Tesla is a sales leader in the electric category but doesn’t show at CES, which left open space for other battery-powered rides to have a big moment. During the tech-industry tradeshow, industry heavyweights such as Mercedes-Benz and Audi, as well as startups like Fisker, showed the world what they’ve been cooking up.
Here is some of the biggest EV news to come out of CES 2020.
Fisker unveils Ocean
The alternative vehicle company Fisker showed the world its electric SUV and it’s a direct Tesla Model 3 competitor.
Fisker has teased the US$37,499 EV for months, but at CES the company unveiled a road-ready, production version of the Ocean crossover. The company says the battery will have a 480-kilometre electric range, and it’s offering a US$379-a-month leasing option.
Standout features include a solar roof and a ‘‘California mode’’ that rolls down the car’s windows.
Wrangler goes semi-electric
Fiat Chrysler showed off a plug-in, electric hybrid version of the Jeep Wrangler JL at CES.
The move is part of a plan to ‘‘modernise the Jeep Brand,’’ the company says. Details and specs are scant, but Fiat Chrysler says all its vehicles will be electric by 2022. The company also displayed an electric Compass and a plug-in version of its Renegade.
Sony makes a car
The electronics giant Sony took tech enthusiasts by surprise when it displayed a concept car loaded with branded tech.
The vehicle, which has yet to be named, was developed by Sony’s AI and robotics team, and it was built to showcase the company’s smart-car platform called Vision-S. The car was complete with access to Sony-owned films and the company’s licensed music.
No, Sony isn’t getting into the automaking business, at least not yet. But the car shows what’s possible.
Audi AI:ME
The fully automated Audi AI:ME showed the brand’s plans for the future, offering rides for the first time ever.
The car features level four autonomy, Audi says, but it still comes complete with a steering wheel and pedals. The company envisions a world where passengers can put on VR headsets during their daily commutes.
‘‘Passengers can fully relax and get away from their hectic day-to-day lives,’’ Audi said in a press release. The hi-tech EV uses AI to get to know the driver and it auto-adjusts so that the passengers are comfortable. Audi’s concept is meant to thrive in the smart cities of the future, the company said. – TNS