Byton Electric SUV Concept Has Dashboard-Sized Touchscreen And Steering Wheel Tablet

Another contender throws its hat in the electric vehicle ring, with a new company called Byton recently showing off its electric SUV concept during the Consumer Electronics Show. Based in China, it’s another one of a growing number of daring startups attempting to carve a space for itself in the growing industry. Apparently, the SUV is set to go on sale next year.

As The Verge notes, the CES is fast becoming the de facto car show these days, with car companies increasingly resembling tech giants with their electric offerings. During the event, Byton brought the SUV onto the stage to mild applause, and it’s not hard to see why. The vehicle looks downright boring and plain.

Of course, this isn’t really surprising since EVs tend to have more muted designs and are not really known for being flashy. It’s worth noting that this is just the concept version, however, and the final design could be much more exciting.

Aside from the more down to earth looks of the vehicle, it would seem that Byton is more interested in actually getting an EV into the market than directly taking on torchbearers like Tesla. On paper, the SUV will have a range of 250 miles in a single charge, will pack 275 horsepower with the rear-mounted motor, while the dual-motor model will offer 476 horsepower and 325 miles in range.

Byton announced that the vehicle will cost $45,000 once it comes out, which is mid-tier in terms of EVs. It will also apparently be self-driving, but this will only be possible after several software updates.

The most striking aspect of the vehicle, however, is the 49-inch touchscreen. The console basically covers the whole dashboard of the SUV, making it the vehicle’s most prominent interior feature. In addition, there will also be a tablet-sized screen on the steering wheel itself, VentureBeat reports. the vehicle will be equipped with Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant, as well.