zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
EVs Are Getting Weird and Coming Into Their Own at the Shanghai Auto Show
EVs Are Getting Weird and Coming Into Their Own at the Shanghai Auto Show-July 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:11:57

Image for article titled EVs Are Getting Weird and Coming Into Their Own at the Shanghai Auto Show

The is in full swing, and EVs have taken center stage. This year’s show is a microcosm of the Chinese auto market, where domestic EVs from , and are quickly gaining marketshare and capturing the attention of the public. Fully-electric cars are so appealing to drivers in China that carmakers are now desperate to differentiate their EVs, and they’re getting . At this year’s Shanghai show, EVs have featured wild tech, from in-car karaoke systems to crystal balls and massage chairs, as reports.

Far be it from me to complain about weird EVs. It’s about damn time electric cars started embracing their destiny as relatively simple machines — with fewer moving parts than their ICE-equipped cousins — that are free to take more risks in terms of exterior and interior design. Who doesn’t want to belt out ‘90s tunes in a silent EV cabin or enjoy a massage while on the road in their futuristic EV?

In the end, whatever wild technology Chinese EVs can feature won’t be nearly as appealing as a good value proposition, as the has shown. The latest EV from BYD has stolen the Shanghai auto show with its low price. But that’s not stopping like from adding massaging features to their captain’s chairs. Or Polestar from showing off its newest EV, which trades a rear windshield for HD cameras and on-screen feed of what’s behind the car.

Rear windshields — or glass panes, in general — probably weren’t broken enough to fix, but if the wants a gimmick and the safety-conscious Volvo and its parent company, Geely, signed off on the idea, then why not?

Likewise, Hyundai is experimenting with new whiz-bang tech: a crystal ball in the center console of the Genesis GV60. The crystal ball is used to change gears in the EV, but it also reportedly serves as a “a visual cue in lieu of the traditional engine noise absent in an EV,” per . Genesis calls it the “sphere” and it will light up when the Chinese market EV starts up.

Image for article titled EVs Are Getting Weird and Coming Into Their Own at the Shanghai Auto Show

Other carmakers such as Hongqi and Rising Auto are leaning hard into tech, which makes sense in China where consumer-driven electronics are more of a draw than outright power and performance, which could be more of a uniquely American infatuation. I guess if EV drivetrains are not that difficult to develop and iterate, carmakers must turn their attention to other features and tech to offer a compelling EV package.

Finally, says that while carmakers outside of China charge premiums for additional tech, Chinese EV makers usually include additional features for free to add value to their EVs. Anything that adds that X factor is a boon, which could make all the difference when it comes time to buy an EV. It sure looks like EVs in China are done justifying their existence to the average driver: they no longer need to compare themselves to ICE-equipped cars. Now, the EV war for motorist’s hearts and minds seems to be all about the “Wow! effect.”

Image for article titled EVs Are Getting Weird and Coming Into Their Own at the Shanghai Auto Show

Image for article titled EVs Are Getting Weird and Coming Into Their Own at the Shanghai Auto Show

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
closed its São Bernardo Plant in November 2023, marking the end of its first overseas production facility. The closure caps off a period of continuous car production in São Paolo, , lasting over 60 years. The plant was home to a Komatsu 700-ton press that predates itself. And now...
Jul 22, 2025
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
At long last, we are about to get behind the wheel of for the first time. Sure, , and sure, , and sure , but hey — what can you do? Anyway, before we get behind the wheel of this three-row electric beast, we want to know what you...
Jul 22, 2025
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
MotorWeek’s is some of the on the internet. The long-running automotive news magazine has a treasure trove of tests after being on the air for over 40 years. Where else can you find detailed instrumented testing of long-forgotten cars like the or a ? MotorWeek’s recent Retro Review upload is...
Jul 22, 2025
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I love tiny, of . I have a that is roughly half the size of a normal cat, and she’s perfect. I own a 2013 , which is like the miniature version of a normal-sized vehicle (at least here in Texas) — but beyond that, I also own a Hot...
Jul 22, 2025
Subaru Had It Right All Along
Subaru Had It Right All Along
When first came to the United States, it sold small funky cars that were decidedly un-American. As the company grew its own identity and became more established in the U.S., it became the first automaker to offer an all-wheel-drive passenger car in 1975. Subaru was also an early-adopter of...
Jul 22, 2025
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I have two automotive loves: The first is the Miata, the second is off-road racing. For a while I raced air-cooled Volkswagens in the deserts of California and Nevada and I was lucky enough to co-drive in a class 11 stock bug in the Baja 1000 a few years...
Jul 22, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved