General Motors showed off a single-seater electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and a luxury egg-shaped autonomous vehicle during its presentation at CES.
The automaker introduced a futuristic flying Cadillac – a self-driving vehicle that could take off and land vertically and carry passengers on the street and in the air. A senior executive at GM called the idea “the personal vehicle of the future”.
Cadillac has completely reimagined the concept of personal vehicles. Designed for short flights, the eVTOL features a single seat and represents the manufacturer’s first foray into air mobility. It takes off and lands vertically and can move from roof to roof at a speed of about 55 mph (about 89 km/h). The drone is equipped with a 90 kW (122 hp) electric motor, a GM Ultium battery, and an ultra-lightweight body with four pairs of rotors.
The flying car was not the only vehicle to be unveiled during this CES 2021 virtual conference. The second premiere from Cadillac is a family electric unmanned shuttle with a rectangular silhouette, panoramic roof, and sliding doors. The shuttle’s luxurious interior looks more like a living room lacking traditional controls like a steering wheel and pedals.
It can be controlled by voice and gestures. The vehicle features a vertical light signature, expansive glass roof, and biometric sensors to read passengers’ vital signs and use that data to adjust settings like temperature, lighting, ambient noises, and even aromatics.
It is unlikely to become a real product anytime soon, but it does demonstrate the company’s next steps of investing in electric and autonomous cars. Michael Simcoe, GM’s VP of Global Design, said the company has “more such concepts planned, similar to the luxurious two-seater designed to relax and enjoy a multi-sensory experience.”
