Sony Vision-S 02 SUV debuts at the 2022 CES

KUALA LUMPUR: The 2022 CES (Consumer Electronics Show) has started with a bang in Las Vegas, where a number of tech companies have put up their latest tech on display. One of them is Sony, which not only showcases OLED TVs and virtual reality headsets, but also two electric vehicles. One is the all-new Vision-S 02 SUV, while the other is the Vision-S electric sedan, which was also revealed in the 2020 event.

In comparison to the original sedan concept, the new Vision-S 02 SUV prototype is more practical as it can accommodate a total of seven occupants. It seems to be a high-riding iteration of the sedan fitted with 20-inch wheels. The vehicle is 4.9 meters long, 1.93 meters wide, and 1.65 meters tall, and has a wheelbase of 3.03 meters. It tips the scales at 2,480 kilograms.

The Vision-S 02 SUV is based on the same EV/cloud platform just like the 01; the exterior styling of the two EVs is also very similar. The sharing bits are small headlights, virtual side mirrors, flush door handles, gloss black roof, and full-width bars on the front as well as rear. 

Inside the cabin, Sony’s new SUV features a full-width digital ‘panoramic screen’ dashboard, with three separate displays. There is also a secondary touch display available on the centre console. At the rear, we can find two entertainment displays along with a small screen for the rear climate controls. Sony confirms that one can also play PS games inside the Vision-S with the help of the Dualshock 4 wireless controller. 

It also gets 360 Reality Audio technology with integrated seat speakers, built-in 5G connectivity, time-of-flight cameras enabling facial recognition, and passenger monitoring, and many more hi-tech goodies.

The drive unit of the Sony Vision-S 02 consists of two electric motors, each generating a maximum power output of 268 hp, just like the 01 sedan. The total system output is rated at 544 hp. While the tech giant did not reveal the performance numbers of the electric SUV, it is expected to take a longer time as compared to the sedan which hits the century sprint in 4.8 seconds before attaining a top speed of 240 kmph. The range figures have not yet been released.

Alongside revealing its new EV concept, Sony also announced Its plan of launching a new company named Sony Mobility Inc in the coming months, which it "intends to explore entry into the EV market.”

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