Bobcat brought robots, augmented reality, and a new EV to CES
Doosan Bobcat brought all-electric equipment, autonomous ag robots, and an augmented reality operator cab that’s so brilliant, you’ll be mad you didn’t think of it.
You’re not crazy. It is a bit late to be post CES news — but very now and then you run across something new, and you can’t quite wrap your head around what you’re looking at until you’ve seen it a few times.
That’s precisely what happened here. While the next evolution of the Bobcat Rogue X autonomous electric loader (above) had completely captured my attention, what I should have been getting excited about was Bobcat’s brilliant augmented reality play.
Dubbed “Advanced Display Technology,” the new AR concept from Bobcat enables operators to see through the surface of the job site in front of them. This capability allows them to “see” electrical lines, gas lines, sewer pipes, and more.
Augmented reality on the job
“This is a canvas for us to add in a whole bunch more information for the operator,” says Joel Honeyman, Vice President of Global Innovation at Bobcat. “The possibilities are endless. It’s a display that we can put anything on.”
Bobcat’s AR display was developed with help from LG Electronics and BSI Research, and is built into a semi-transparent OLED screen that takes the place of the cab’s windshield or side window. On the CES floor, the AR display was used to show utility lines beneath the floor.
A spokesperson for the company said that the AR concept has already been tested on Bobcat’s compact loaders, mini excavators, and telehandlers.
Doosan Bobcat display at CES 2024
Also on display was the all-new, battery-powered AT450X electric articulating tractor (above, left) which joins the all-electric Bobcat loader (above, right) first shown as a concept back at CES 2022.
Bobcat says the new AT450X is designed to autonomously or remotely carry out critical farm tasks on vineyards and orchards, or on farms where animals could be negatively affected by diesel emissions. Those autonomous functions were co-developed through a collaboration between Bobcat and Agtonomy, and will enable farmers to direct the tractor to execute a wide range of tasks that includes:
- mowing
- spraying
- precision weeding
- product and material support
“By digitally transforming the equipment farmers know and trust, we can help them combat the daily challenges they face, such as labor constraints and the ever-increasing demand for sustainable farming practices in specialty crops,” explains Tim Bucher, CEO and co-founder of Agtonomy. “The Bobcat AT450X with Agtonomy’s TeleFarmer technology makes the perfect end-to-end solution for agriculture and other industries allowing both companies to make a positive impact and that is what it is all about.”
In addition to pre-programmed tasks, the AT450X can harness AI (because: 2024) to “continuously learn and dynamically react to” the changing farm. Utilizing vision-based systems, it can identify both known and unknown objects, automatically halting its operation.
Furthermore, the AT450X doesn’t require downtime. It has the capability to autonomously swap out its own batteries when running low on power. The process involves returning to its home base, switching to a fully charged battery, and placing its drained battery back into its charging station (although this feature wasn’t observed at the show, it sounds impressive).
“With our company’s beginnings in agriculture, we have a strong connection to the land and an appreciation for the farmers who work long hours in a wide variety of conditions to feed the world,” said Honeyman. “As we innovate for the worksites of tomorrow, solutions like the AT450X will help make farming more productive, efficient and sustainable through digital advancements.”
Electrek’s Take
Despite the common refrain that the construction industry is ten years behind the car business, it seems that companies like Bobcat, Caterpillar, and John Deere are pushing hard to pack their future products with high-tech ADAS options designed to make the work of construction and agriculture easier and more sustainable.
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The BYD “Shenzhen” set sail on its first voyage overseas this week. With 9,200 parking spots, or about enough to fill 20 football fields, BYD’s new car transport ship is now the world’s largest.
BYD’s largest car carrier sets sail for Brazil
BYD’s Shenzhen is on its maiden voyage to Brazil after setting sail on April 27. The vessel is carrying over 7,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs), including electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). It’s the largest single batch of NEVs exported from China so far.
The new vessel is BYD’s fourth car transport ship and the world’s largest, capable of carrying 9,000 vehicles. According to the company, that’s enough to fill about 20 football fields.
BYD launched its first car carrier, the Explorer No 1, in January 2024. It has already completed several trips to Germany, Spain, and Brazil.
Its second, the BYD Changzhou, set sail in December 2024, followed by the Hefei earlier this year. All three vessels can carry up to 7,000 vehicles, making the Shenzhen the largest so far.
The Shenzhen is named after the automaker’s hometown and demonstrates “BYD’s firm determination to promote sustainable development in Brazil.”
BYD is preparing to launch two more vessels, the Changsha and Xi’an. The Changsha is expected to launch soon, while the Xi’an was introduced on April 2.
The new car carriers will help accelerate BYD’s aggressive overseas expansion. In the first three months of 2025, the company sold over 206,000 NEVs overseas, more than double the number it sold last year.
BYD sells a wide range of vehicles in Brazil, including the low-cost Dolphin Mini, starting at around $20,000 (99,800 BRL). In October, it launched its first hybrid pickup truck, the Shark, starting at 379,800 BTL ($66,900).
Brazil is only one overseas market that BYD is targeting. BYD’s sales are expected to double in Europe in 2025, with significant growth in other key regions like Southeast Asia, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea, to name a few.
Source: BYD
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‘Tesla homes’ in a Houston neighborhood where all the homes have Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls went for sale.
7 out of the 11 homes have reportedly already sold.
Tesla neighborhood is a term that is being used for new developments where all the homes integrate all or part of Tesla’s power ecosystem, including the Powerwall home battery pack.
The best example is a giant new development project in Austin, Texas, by Brookfield Asset Management and Dacra in which up to 12,000 new homes are to be built and offering Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls.
However, since the announcement, it looks like only some of the homes in the new neighborhood have Tesla energy systems.
In 2022, Tesla also announced a similar project in Las Vegas.
A year later, the company claimed to have deployed “over 600 solar neighborhoods” worldwide, with a total capacity exceeding 100 MW.
One such ‘Tesla neighborhood’ is a small block of 11 townhouse homes featuring Tesla solar roofs and Powerwalls in Houston, Texas.
The homes were recently completed and went on sale, starting at $544,900.
Here are some pictures from the listings:
Utopia Homes, the developer behind the project, described the properties (via Chron):
Step into modern elegance expertly crafted by Utopia Homes. This property showcases groundbreaking Tesla Solar Roof Shingles and Power Wall technology, ensuring 100% energy security and eliminating electric bills for a truly sustainable lifestyle.
The house has proved popular according to the real estate agents, with 7 out of 11 homes already sold.
As we recently reported, Tesla’s solar roofs have proven to be a more expensive and niche product than the company previously presented.
Tesla has largely stopped discussing it, but it is still being deployed through some third-party installers, such as in this case, on new homes.
However, its Powerwall product remains a very popular solution for homeowners seeking greater energy independence and protection against outages, which have been a frequent problem in Texas.
More homeowners are turning to generators, and alternatives like home battery packs are gaining popularity.
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Canadian electric propulsion specialist Vision Marine continues to graduate beyond advanced outboard motors into a provider of all-electric boats. This month, Vision introduced two new electric pontoon boats – the 12-passenger V24 and 15-passenger V30, each capable of a range up to 90 nautical miles.
Vision Marine Technologies ($VMAR) is a Canadian technology company with over 25 years of experience in the marine industry. The company made waves (literally) by introducing its E-Motion turnkey powertrain system, which it has since integrated into a catamaran speedboat, which set a speed record of 109 mph in 2022.
Since then, Vision has introduced six hp two-cruiser vessels – the Fantail 217 and Volt 180, each capable of transporting 10 passengers via its E-Motion technology. Most recently, Vision Marine has integrated the full power of its 180 hp electric powertrain technology into two additional vessels, both electric pontoon boats.
Earlier this month, the company officially began sales of the Vision V24 and V30, which you can view below.
Vision Marine brings power and range to electric pontoons
According to Vision Marine Technologies, orders for its two new electric pontoon boats are now open, and they are touting the same E-Motion technology that put the company on the map a few years ago.
The first model is the V24, a 12-passenger electric pontoon that is 24′ 8″ in length and has 180 hp. The ultra-quiet E-Motion powertrain is powered by a standard 43 kWh marine battery pack, offering 40 nautical miles (46 miles) of all-electric range on a single charge. For added range, Vision sells a version of the electric pontoon with a second battery pack, totaling 86 kWh and delivering up to 90 nautical miles (104 miles) of range.
While the V24 offers more of a classic attempt at the pontoon boat, Vision’s additional new vessel, the all-electric V30, is a tad sportier and provides room for more passengers aboard (15). This 30′ vessel features the same E-Motion powertrain options, complete with the same two battery configurations to offer the same ranges as the V24.
However, the V30 has additional features such as 4 x 6.5″ interior speakers and cool-touch seats. Both models feature an integrated onboard charger that supports both 120- 240V (30 to 50 amps) for seamless charging, no matter the dock plug while moored.
The Vision V24 starts at $99,995 for the standard battery pack version, while the V30 starts at a higher price of $139,995. As previously mentioned, both electric pontoon boats are available to order today.
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