We're at CES until January 12th so we thought we'd share a few behind the scenes pics with the community here! We'll continue updating this thread throughout CES. For CES videos related to ChargePoint features and the latest in EV charging, follow us on Facebook for LIVE videos during CES. If you have questions that pop up while watching, leave a comment right on the Facebook video page!] Time for a quick tour of the ChargePoint area at CES. Plus, a HUGE walk through of the ChargePoint app. We're showing off our array of EV charging solutions for businesses and drivers, including the ChargePoint Home, our Express Plus platform, and for those outside of the USA - our commercial European products, too. If you're at CES come by our booth at 7534 in North Hall and say hello!
Day 1 The first day at CES consisted of debuts from... Fisker eMotion Kia Niro and the BYTON smart intelligent vehicle!
The folks at Autoline have openly speculated that CES is pre-empting the Detroit auto show. Given the contrasts in weather, I'm sympathetic. Then I have lost interest in exclusively gas and diesel vehicles. If you see a Toyota/Mazda Wankel booth, I would be interested in photos especially with any data sheets and the generator. I am interested in range extenders including BMW and others. Another interest would be grid-to-car and car-to-grid systems. I understand Honda has something in this area. Bob Wilson
I was there! A minor partial loss of power in the North Hall, where I was. And this is the hall where all the cars where. The blackouts were in the other halls. Mike
Day 2 Taking a peek at the autonomous EV future from Nissan with their IMx crossover concept. Mercedes-Benz showcased their smart vision EQ fortwo providing a new vision of urban mobility and efficient local public transport. The smart vision EQ fortwo is a cool two-seater and, like all smart models, scores with a maximum of room in a minimum of space. Toyota stole the show with their futuristic robocar powered by AI, called Yui, and it "lives" in the center of the dashboard, where you interact with a simple 2-D animated avatar. Day 3 Transport Evolve stopped by the ChargePoint booth to film an upcoming segment on our ChargePoint Home and Alexa integration! Below our booth staff poses with our fearless leader and CEO, Pasquale Romano, reminding us that together as a company we are working towards and helping to innovate an electrified future. We stopped by the Nissan booth to see the Best Innovation of CES award - given to the 2018 Nissan LEAF. Day 4 We stopped by the Mercedes booth and saw the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE will bring the very latest and efficient, fully-fledged Formula 1 hybrid technology from the race track to the road almost par for par to represent the highlight of AMG’s 50th anniversary. Maryland-based custom carmaker Genovation has been promoting its speed records achieved in an electric converted Corvette over the past year, they have debuted the final version of their all-electric Supercar, Genovation GXE, at CES. “With the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA, our electric initiative is gathering pace: by 2022 Mercedes-Benz Cars will have more than ten all-electric vehicles on the market,” stated Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. We had a blast talking to EV drivers and businesses interested in adding EV charging. Thanks CES!
I expect that there will be more one-seater-in-the-front cars in future shows. If people want a super low Cd car for cheap, and don't need the space, then these will make more sense.... BUTTTTTTT (pointing to the exhaust)... Americans will continue to want bigger and better cars for whatever life throws at them, so these are just what they are, "for show."
It is possible we have regulatory changes to safety with active systems might allow more narrow cars, or 3 wheeled vehicles. The big problem today for the US is in order to pass the crash tests, there is a great deal of weight, which hits rolling resistance and costs. If you consider how slippery the tesla model 3 is, going to 1 seat or fighter pilot 1 + 1 won't really gain that much highway mpg versus the 5 seat 130 mpge model 3 shape. We saw this earlier with the original honda insite that did not really get much better mpg than the gen II prius (gen I prius was not designed to be that aero). Compare Side-by-Side
Those cars are not aerodynamic enough, and need radical change. Crash tests are not much of a concern to me given how well the 1st gen Honda Insight (going back almost 20 years, receiving 4/5 stars for a sub-ton curb weight) have fared. Standards can and do change. The ideal car with the least resistance is something like an elongated football, slipstream design. None of the cars, not even the CES demos, current smart cars, Elio, or 1st gen Honda Insight (2000-2006), have a shape anywhere near this. The way to do it, I perceive, is to have one seat in a narrowing front, with one wheel underneath, then two seats in the center "row" with one axle for two wheels underneath, then a narrowing trunk and/or seat in the back with the fourth wheel underneath. This gives a total of four seats. Carbon fiber would protect the body of the car. The front license plate would be shielded by a reinforced transparent "cone" to ensure no sacrifices to the Cd and still allow reading the plate. Side mirrors should be replaced with a camera/screen system.
