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In China, electric vehicles with built-in fridges and even\u00a0in-car karaoke<\/a>\u00a0systems are considered pass\u00e9. Instead, carmakers are turning to increasingly novel add-ons from beds to cooktops to boost sluggish sales.<\/p>\n Top EV makers are facing a slowdown in demand at home as consumers\u00a0curb spending<\/a>, just as geopolitical tensions with major Western economies cloud the outlook for exports. Meanwhile for smaller players, the ability to think creatively is core to their survival, with the cut-throat industry bracing for a likely wave of consolidation as China looks\u00a0to rein in<\/a>\u00a0the excesses left behind by years of generous subsidies.<\/p>\n The high-tech offerings also highlight the risk for\u00a0Western<\/a>\u00a0manufacturers should they fall even further behind in carving out market share in the world\u2019s biggest auto market. China-made vehicles are viewed by local customers as better suited to their extensive technology demands and preference for high levels of connectivity.<\/p>\n Read more: Chinese EVs seen as status symbols are being bought new in countries where they aren\u2019t officially sold yet thanks to a loophole<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWhile legacy automakers still only focus on the drivability of a car, Chinese companies are not satisfied with that,\u201d Wang Binggang, an\u00a0Xpeng Inc.\u00a0salesperson, said in a showroom in central Shanghai. \u201cWe are extending the possibilities to all kinds of living and recreational scenarios, and that\u2019s part of the reason why customers love e-cars these days.\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a look at some of the offbeat offerings now available in China:<\/p>\n Just one click on the in-car display in Xpeng\u2019s G9, an SUV with a starting price at 263,900 yuan ($36,700), and it turns into a bed that comfortably sleeps two people.<\/p>\n Drivers who install the so-called sleeping kit feature are able to make both front and back seats lay completely flat, then watch as a double-size air mattress unfolds and is automatically inflated. The company is looking to muscle in on China\u2019s increasingly popular\u00a0camping<\/a>\u00a0culture, but the car may also prove a hit with desk jockeys enduring the country\u2019s notoriously grueling office hours and looking for a place to nap.<\/p>\n The feature was an unexpected savior for some families during February\u2019s Lunar New Year holiday. Long waits at charging stations, traffic jams that lasted for hours and snowstorms that left tens of thousands of drivers\u00a0stranded<\/a>\u00a0across the country saw many in sudden need of a safe place to sleep.<\/p>\n One of the most notable features of an electric vehicle is how much quieter, and smoother to accelerate, it is compared with a combustion-engine car. But the downside is that it can cause or worsen motion sickness. And the way an EV\u2019s brakes work can also add to the feeling of imbalance for some drivers and passengers.<\/p>\n Hangzhou-based\u00a0Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd.<\/a>\u00a0says it has solved that problem in its Galaxy E8 electric sedan, which vibrates at 1.25 hertz \u2014 the same as a human heartbeat \u2014 when the car is driving on undulating terrain.<\/p>\n The car, which went on sale on Jan. 5 and starts at $24,450, also has a braking system that minimizes the jerking sensation often noticed by people when they first start driving an EV.<\/p>\n Li Auto Inc.\u2019s L-Series has become one of the most popular SUV ranges in China, offering spacious interiors, extended-range capabilities and in-built massagers in its seats. While that\u2019s seen sales boom, it\u2019s also given rise to challengers looking to make their own mark among the country\u2019s middle-class families.<\/p>\n That includes Rox Motor Tech, a startup established in 2021 by the founder of a robot vacuum maker, which is looking to win over lovers of the outdoors. Its first production model, the\u00a0Polestones 01<\/a>, includes a rear-mounted camping-style kitchen with an induction cooker and water dispenser.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also got a sun canopy that attaches to the roof, which the carmaker says can be assembled, or taken down and stowed away, in minutes. The car costs $48,700.<\/p>\n BYD Co., the world\u2019s largest EV manufacturer, is looking to make its premium $153,000 Yangwang U8 more enticing for tech fans.<\/p>\n Its partnership with Shenzhen-based drone giant DJI allows a small craft to launch from and land on a retractable case mounted to the roof and it can even fly back to dock once the car reaches its final destination. Movements are controlled on the in-car display screen, and an in-built system can charge the drone\u2019s three batteries and swap cells when the power runs down.<\/p>\n The drone is programmed to follow the car\u2019s route and captures high-definition images. That allows drivers to obtain real-time aerial views of their surrounds, while they can also produce short videos on their in-car screen.<\/p>\n In-car gaming is an increasingly widespread offering.\u00a0Tesla Inc.<\/a>\u00a0added video game platform Steam into its system in 2022, while Li Auto allows drivers and passengers to connect their\u00a0Nintendo Co.<\/a>\u2019s Switch to the car\u2019s system.<\/p>\n BYD has taken it one step further. Its redesigned steering wheel can be detached, allowing drivers to use it in conjunction with the car\u2019s pedals to play video games on the in-car display.<\/p>\n Read More: Australia is showing us what happens when Tesla-beating BYD faces no tariffs and is free to grow\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n While the technology has proved popular, it\u2019s also given rise to concerns that it\u2019s distracting and could cause crashes. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last year closed\u00a0a probe<\/a>\u00a0into Tesla\u2019s in-vehicle game-play functionality after the automaker\u00a0disabled<\/a>\u00a0the \u201cPassenger Play\u201d feature.<\/p>\n Chinese EV makers have implemented restrictions, including only allowing games to be played when a car is stationary with the engine off.<\/p>\n The best, or quirkiest, are yet to come.<\/p>\n Geely and its EV brand Zeekr applied for a patent for a vehicle-mounted fishing system that includes a line and hook. Location sensors on the car will give the driver information on the depth and flow rate of nearby bodies of water, as well as historical data to help determine the best fishing spot. A device will enable long-distance and more precise casting and, when a fish bites, the vehicle will reel it in.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, SAIC Corp.\u2019s IM Motors has filed an intellectual property application for an in-car plant-care system, which will collect rain from the roof and water generated by the vehicle\u2019s cooling system. Software will recognize different plant varieties and calculate the best timing and volume of water to sustain them.<\/p>\n The ambitions signal automakers\u2019 emphasis on innovation will continue even in the face of an uncertain consumer\u00a0demand outlook<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the EV era, China is attempting to redefine premium,\u201d said\u00a0Bill Russo, founder and chief executive officer of Shanghai-based advisory firm Automobility. \u201cThey may come up with some real off-the-wall ideas, but that\u2019s what experimentation is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 With assistance from Charlie Zhu, Chunying Zhang, Linda Lew, and Danny Lee<\/em><\/p>\n\n1. Sleeping Kits<\/h3>\n
2. In Sync Heartbeat<\/h3>\n
3. Tailgate Ready<\/h3>\n
4. Drones<\/h3>\n
5. In-Car Gaming<\/h3>\n
What\u2019s Next?<\/h3>\n