New Chinese electric car breaks the mould with new electric SUV

Chinese makers have been caught copying other carmakers in the past, but there is no chance of this new design being slammed as a knock-off.

Byton M-Byte wall have a mammoth 48-inch display.

A Chinese car maker is embracing the digital age.

Electric vehicle start-up, Byton, has detailed its highly distracting M-Byte SUV interior.

Drivers and passengers are bombarded with a multitude of screens including a mammoth 48-inch display that runs the entire length of the dash. This is about the same width as a 55-inch TV and would be viewed from just over an arm’s length away rather than the comfy confines of your couch.

The sheer size of the screen could hamper the driver’s view of the road ahead, not to mention the potential for a hefty fine for being distracted.

The centre console screen can control climate settings.

Recently in NSW a driver copped a $337 fine and the loss of three demerit points because her passenger was using Facetime. The offence description is “Drive vehicle with TV/VDU image likely to distract”.

It isn’t only the 48-inch display that is a cause for concern. There is a 7.0-inch display located in the middle of the steering wheel. The steering wheel display looks to be used to control several infotainment functions such as music, maps and aircon among others.

Moving towards production, every detail is essential. With its 7" Driver Tablet, 8" BYTON Central Touchpad, and 48" Shared Experience Display, here’s another peek at the BYTON M-Byte’s interior design. #BYTON #BYTONCars #EV #ElectricVehicle #timetobe #digitalpower #sneakpeek pic.twitter.com/pP5Ifwt7wP

— BYTON (@BYTONcars) June 13, 2019

But wait, there’s more. An 8.0-inch screen is located where the centre console would usually be. This display appears to control seating preferences including heating and cooling functions.

The Byton M-Byte has been undergoing winter testing before going into production later this year.

The company also says the rear seats will have entertainment screens.

The burgeoning maker sees the vehicle more as a smart device than a conventional vehicle.

There is little technical detail for the electric SUV except there are likely to be two versions with a range of about 400km and more than 520km.

The M-Byte prototype was shown at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at Las Vegas in January, and the vehicle looks to have changed little from that wacky concept.

The company has since completed construction of a factory in China with production of the M-Byte due to start in the third quarter of this year.

The company has plans to sell the vehicle globally.