Nothing like hippie nostalgia to sweep away the bad vibes from that epic emissions scandal.
That, at least, appears to be the thinking behind a new, all-electric Volkswagen Microbus that, according to reports, has a prototype slated to be unveiled at CES, formerly called the Consumer Electronics Show.
VW has kept mum about the rumored new “camper,” whose lithium-ion battery packs will boast a range of up to 310 miles, according to a report from UK-based Autocar.
Gary Shapiro, head of the Consumer Technology Association — the sponsor of the show — says the new car will be a “groundbreaking electric vehicle that will further illustrate the synergy between the Internet of Things and the automotive industry.”
Elsewhere, Ford reportedly is set to announce at CES a joint venture to make self-driving cars with Google, according to Yahoo! Autos. The idea is for Google to save on the time and expense of ramping up a manufacturing facility of its own, Elon Musk-style.
The Google-Ford deal also is reportedly nonexclusive, setting up what could be an Android-style model for its tech to power cars from a variety of traditional car makers.
These of course, would be pitted against Tesla, whose vertical operation is aiming for an iPhone-like status in the electric-car market.
Other automakers slated to demo smart tech at CES include BMW, Mercedes, Chrysler and Toyota.
Last but not least, there’s Faraday Future — a secretive Chinese-backed startup run by ex-Tesla employees. So far, Faraday hasn’t given much more than a 10-second video with glimpses of a racy-looking wheel well.