Chinese SAIC Group has taken the wraps off its newest R series electric concept car: the ES33, a futuristic, self-driving SUV shaped like a coupe.
The company claims it will start offering a production car based on this prototype in the second half of 2022, but we expect that one to be much, much simpler than the original. Features announced so far include battery swap in two minutes and up to 700 kilometers (435 miles) of NEDC-rated range.
The self-driving tech on board utilizes data coming from 33 sensors, including ultrasound and laser scanners, a LIDAR, and a 4D radar. The announcement says the R ES33 is capable of discerning a small soda can from 400 feet (140 meters) away.
Prices are expected to lie in the general vicinity of 300,000 Chinese yuan (currently $46,100 USD).