• by Phyllis Fine , Staff Writer, January 6, 2023

Automakers who want to target a tech-savvy audience have yet to take full advantage of the veteran consumer extravaganza that is CES, according to two Edmunds experts, who commented from their perch at the current show, due to end Jan. 8.

“Ironically, the anticipated announcements from automakers this year don’t seem much different from what one might expect to see on the Detroit, New York or LA auto show floor,” said Ivan Drury, Edmunds’ director of insights. ”The vast majority of auto brands appear to be leveraging CES as a platform to simply launch EVs or EV development partnerships in the same manner that they would at any regular auto show—instead of pushing the envelope a bit further to showcase more revolutionary advancements in transportation that are not typically expected within legacy automaker portfolios.”

And with EVs now representing “1 in 20 sales, with green vehicles 1 in 10, electrified powertrains” have become less revolutionary and more standard fare, noted Drury.

In fact, according to Edmunds, national EV market share from January to November 2022 climbed to 5.1%, compared to 2.5% for the full year of 2021.

National green vehicle market share (hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles) from January to November 2022 climbed above 10%, compared to 6.2% for the full year in 2021.

“So, to truly stand out from the crowd at a show like CES, automakers should consider pushing more software advancements instead of sheet metal," said Drury.

Edmunds Editor In Chief Alistair Weaver agreed, noting that “automakers that can leverage a platform like CES to prop up their products as innovative for the future of transportation through safety, entertainment and battery technology stand a good chance of separating themselves from the pack.”

While automakers continue “to debate the value of traditional auto shows, CES is becoming a must-go destination,” said Weaver.