Germany’s premier motor present packed up its luggage and moved from Frankfurt to Munich in 2021 and it hasn’t appeared again since. In truth, the newly-titled IAA Mobility very a lot seems ahead, as this gathering of steel is as involved with robotics and AI as it’s with shiny present automobiles.
This 12 months was jam-packed with unique reveals and a have a look at what we are able to count on from the automotive world within the coming years, with a report variety of Chinese upstarts becoming a member of the extra conventional western automakers within the huge halls of Munich’s Messe constructing.
Xpeng’s impressively large stand was only dwarfed by the Volkswagen Group’s monster, which was (perhaps deliberately) placed bang opposite the Chinese EV newcomer and showcased concepts and new models from most of its brands, including Skoda, VW, SEAT and Porsche
Changan, GAC and Nio squared off against BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Polestar as they look to crack the European market, while some of the world’s largest Tier 1 suppliers (those who supply products directly to manufacturers) showcased advances in battery technology, robotics and artificial intelligence – arguably the automotive buzzword of the year.
Where motor shows of decades gone by were very much a celebration of the internal combustion engine, today’s automotive gatherings are all about the technology, with more chat about software than 0-60mph sprint times.
With that in mind, these are the most important launches I saw from the show, including wild concept cars, future production models and the latest innovations that will underpin tomorrow’s transport.
1. Xpeng P7+
Xpeng has been compared to Tesla on numerous occasions and the observation is valid. The company is exploring all pillars of mobility, from current-day EVs to future flying cars and even humanoid robots, which founder He Xiaopeng says will become commonplace during the next decade.
The company believes that the technology it has developed in-house, which includes producing its own “Turing” chips that provide potent compute power, will underpin a raft of solutions, including those with wheels and propellors, or even arms and legs.
This year, Xpeng says maiden flights of its Land Aircraft Carrier modular flying car will take place outside of China, with October’s demoes in Dubai hoping to snare more customers to add to the 6,000 that have already placed deposits. By 2026, it says it will be the world’s biggest flying car company.
But the slightly more down-to-earth P7+ EV made its European debut in Munich, with its 92.2kWh battery pack, 800V architecture and 585bhp drawing the crowds. Xpeng says fast-charging takes as little as 12 minutes for a 10%-to-80% top-up. It also relies heavily on AI to both improve vehicle dynamics and better serve the driver with next-gen infotainment.
It’s set to roll out in Europe soon, which has likely irked Polestar, seeing as the Swedish brand took the wraps off an eerily similar-looking Grand Tourer just a few hours after the P7+’s reveal.
2. Polestar 5
That leads us on nicely onto the Polestar 5 – one other modern electrical machine that can rely the Audi e-tron GT and Porsche Taycan amongst eager rivals when it arrives subsequent 12 months. With as much as 871bhp on faucet, it’s essentially the most highly effective Polestar but, so comes with racy options, like sculpted entrance seats co-developed by Recaro.
It’s an extended, low looker that may handle 416 miles of vary on a single cost when the marginally lower-powered Launch Edition is chosen. Stepping as much as the Performance trim sees the 0-62mph dash dispatched in simply 3.1 seconds and the worth rise to an eye-watering $142,000 / £104,900 / AU$214,000.
Early drives by some journalists recommend that Polestar has been enjoying down these efficiency figures, with acceleration occasions truly faster in actual life.
But just like the Taycan that it’s going to go up towards, Polestar additionally nails the inside design, with a modern, minimalistic cabin that comfortably homes 4, however can lengthen to a good five-seater by retracting the arm relaxation within the rear.
Headroom is elevated in that division with some intelligent design and the deletion of the rear window. So, as with Polestar 4, drivers must depend on a stay feed from the digital camera when reversing into tight spots.
3. BMW iX3
BMW has been leaking information about its “Neue Klasse” of electric vehicles for years now, but the upcoming iX3, which was on display in Munich, is the first real look at what we can expect from this new era.
Kick-starting a range that is supposedly going to deliver 40 new models in the next couple of years, the modern SUV isn’t quite as handsome as its earlier concept vehicles would suggest but it goes big on the figures: 500-miles of range from a monster 108.7kWh battery pack and charging times as low as 10 minutes to add 231-miles. Nice.
The interior also ushers in a new era of BMW Panoramic Vision iDrive, which consists of an interestingly-shaped infotainment display, haptic controls on the steering wheel and a full-width windscreen show that may be personalized with numerous widgets.
4. Cerence Mobile Work AI Agent
Ok, so this isn’t a flashy new concept vehicle but it is a much safer way to catch up on work stuff when behind the wheel. Yay!
Cerence has teamed up with Microsoft 365 Copilot to spice up its xUI AI assistant platform so it will possibly now delve into all your Cloud-based Word and Excel paperwork, scan calendar entries and even permit drivers to draft messages or plan conferences utilizing pure speech.
The firm additionally claims it can present proactive navigation strategies that combine with customers’ work calendars to information them to their subsequent assembly with out handbook enter. The agent may also be taught preferences over time, recognizing that some drivers desire silence throughout sure components of their journeys, and customers will be capable to inform the AI agent to hush-up mid-conversation.
There’s no phrase on when it’s going stay, however Cerence is already works intently with Renault and many of the manufacturers within the Volkswagen Group, so we think about it gained’t be lengthy earlier than that enjoyable commute turns into simply one other extension of the office. Sigh.
5. Hyundai Concept Three
Fresh off the back of the wild Insteroid concept comes one other madcap design examine from the Korean marque. Simply known as Concept Three, it showcases the primary “compact” EV underneath the Ioniq sub model of electrified automobiles.
It builds on the model’s ‘Art of Steel’ design language, which was first showcased on the hydrogen-powered Initium concept and has since been included in the latest H-supping Nexo mannequin.
Parametric Pixel lighting is again, that includes at each the entrance and rear of the car, whereas pixelated shows may be discovered all through the cabin. There’s even one on the centre of the steering wheel that flashes the message “oops” for some motive.
Mr Pix is one other blocky little digital character that pops up on the quite a few shows, bearing greater than a touch of a resemblance to an old-school Tamagotchi. It’s uncertain whether or not it’s important to feed him and clear up his poop, although.
There isn’t any data on powertrains of efficiency figures, however you may assure at the very least among the whackier design components will seem on the Ioniq manufacturing automotive, as Hyundai appears to be pushing boundaries on that entrance in the mean time.
6. Mercedes-Benz GLC
Not ones to be outdone by its close Germanic rivals, Mercedes-Benz also took the wraps off the new GLC, arguably one of the marque’s most popular SUVs. Perhaps not so popular is the fact that it’s going all-electric.
This is signified by a big, illuminated three-pointed star on the grille and a slightly less obvious new platform that underpins the whole shebang. It will run the same MB.OS infotainment system that we tested in the recent CLA, whereas 800V structure ensures quick charging.
It will supply a 435-mile vary from a 94okWh battery and 483bhp due to twin motors within the range-topping GLC EQ 400 when it goes on sale, with charging speeds pegged at 330kW if yow will discover the suitable outlet.
As is the way in which with fashionable Mercedes, the inside is festooned with digital displays, together with the choice of a full-width, 39.1-inch display that’s the largest ever applied by the model.
7. Cupra Tindaya
Cupra, the younger, funkier sibling of Seat, is busy pushing back against the onslaught of autonomous driving and robo taxis, putting the driver in the, erm, driver’s seat by unleashing this angry-looking concept.
Named after a volcanic mountain in Fuertaventura, Tindaya feels more reptilian than automotive, with slashes over the rear haunches and a ‘spine’ that holds the detachable roof panels making it look alive… even when parked.
The accompanying press release is filled with phrases like “phygital” and “digital aura” but there’s not a lot of mention of cold, hard stats.
We expect it to heavily influence the next generation of high-performance SUVs from the brand, which is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing in Europe. It seems Seat has hit a rich seam with ‘da kids’.
8. VW ID.Cross Concept
Volkswagen made a big splash at the IAA Mobility show this year. Not only did the VW Group have arguably the most impressive stand going, Volkswagen itself unveiled three new models.
The ID. Polo and a red hot ID. Polo GTI model were teased before the show, but the company also decided to showcase what a jacked-up SUV version of its ID. Polo will look like with the ID. Cross Concept.
Production versions of all of the aforementioned cars will go on sale as early as next year and the VW Group is on a mission to offer compact, electrified models from the likes of Skoda, Seat and VW for as little as €25,000 – or $30,000 / £25,000 / $45,000.
But back to the ID. Cross Concept: it’s a handsome-looking thing, with hints of ID Buzz about it on the flanks, a comparatively aggressive entrance finish and an inside that options actual, tangible buttons – not simply haptic nonsense.
9. QuantumScape Solid State Batteries
There was plenty of speak of solid-state batteries at this 12 months’s present, with Rimac, CATL and extra unveiling improvements that enhance vary, efficiency, security and longevity.
Solid State is billed as the following large factor in battery growth and QuantumScape, partnering with the VW Group’s PowerCo, unveiled the primary anode-free solid-state batteries to transcend the lab setting and right into a car.
That car is the Ducati V21L prototype bike that’s destined to pummel the race circuit over the approaching months to check the expertise’s functionality underneath essentially the most excessive circumstances.
The FIM MotoE World Championship is on hiatus till the top of this 12 months, giving each Ducati and QuantumScape extra time to fine-tune their applied sciences. Already, the brand new cells have allowed for a weight saving of 8.2kg.
QuantumScape says the solid-state packs supply an 844 Wh/L power density – higher than that of Tesla and BYD’s present expertise – in addition to 12-minute charging occasions.