Byton turned heads at the recently held Consumer Electronics Show with its M-Byte concept. It’s a self-driving electric SUV with facial recognition and Amazon Alexa. Now the manufacturer is back in Shanghai for CES Asia. They have released a new model called K-Byte.
This is a 5-door electric sedan. It works with a level 4 autonomous driving system. This means that the car can operate in certain conditions without human intervention.
Shared platform, different body
M-Byte and K-Byte sit on the same platform and powertrain platform. Both offer 71 kWh or 95 kWh battery options. A larger battery pack increases the range to 520 kilometers. As standard, the 71 kWh unit is 400 km.
The power comes from a 200 kW motor. It can be configured as front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Appearance tells the difference. K-Byte places side mirrors and LiDAR sensors on the front fenders. The mirror is actually a camera. They project the view onto interior screens. They retract into the body when parked. The LiDARs do the same.
When Can You Buy It?
The commercial launch of K-Byte is planned for 2021. M-Byte plans to enter the US market in 2020. It is scheduled to go on sale in Europe a year earlier than planned. The price is $45,000. At today’s exchange rates, this is around 38,000 euros.
The technology exists. The hardware is ready. But timelines keep changing.
