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Vauxhall's GTX concept teases the future of mass-market EVs [engadget.com]

The right-hand side of the screen will enable you to control the GTX's (intentionally minimal) in-car infotainment system, full-screen navigation and climate controls. When you've found your destination, you'll be able to then follow along in the GTX's heads-up display. One amusing touch is the low-res webcam embedded in the display, which is connected to a dash-mounted Quink printer. A couple of presses and a snapshot will shoot out the bottom of the dashboard for... some reason.

In place of wing-mirrors, the GTX has two (LG-made) LCD displays connected to cameras that pop out from the edge of the hood. The displays are mounted on the edges of the dashboard to match our instinct to look over when planning a turn. Expect to see more companies adopting this technology -- Audi already has them on the E-Tron SUV [engadget.com] -- in the near future. No wing mirrors reduces drag and, perhaps more importantly, makes it easier to park in tighter spaces.

Vauxhall has also gone in hard on the use of LCD displays to cheat little flourishes on the car. On a Rolls Royce, the steering wheel and hubcap insignia remain level due to the inclusion of complex gyroscopic equipment. Here, Vauxhall used little screens to give the look of that (with gentle movement) without any complex engineering. There's also a small LCD battery indicator on the rear driver's-side door to let you know, as you approach the car, how charged it is.

The other big thing that the company is shouting about is the new Visor grille, which will be common across all new Vauxhalls. This five-sided grille will hold the LED headlights, turn signals, the automaker's light-up badge and, where available, the sensors for autonomous driving. Well, kinda -- the company says that it'll focus only on Level 3 self-driving for its production cars.

Inside, you'll spot that the vehicle's four seats are mounted on a single column running through the cabin. The two forward seats are electrically-adjustable, with the driver's seat altering height depending on your eye-level (as seen by a camera on the steering wheel). Nestled between each of the seat backs and headrests is a Bluetooth speaker, which could theoretically be removed for an ersatz rave.

So, how does the GTX handle? I don't know. Sadly, the vehicle stopped accepting a charge and wouldn't move by the time I'd reached Vauxhall's testing location. The company's engineers said that the GTX wouldn't be representative of how Vauxhall's new EVs will drive, anyway. You can make your own jokes about Vauxhall's reputation for reliability [autoexpress.co.uk] in light of the latest surveys.

You can use the GTX's specs and design to guess at how Vauxhall's future electric vehicles will operate. The company included a 50 kWh battery in the GTX, laid out "skateboard style" along the base of the chassis. Weight loss, including shaving plenty of ounces from key components, has also been a big focus for Vauxhall's engineers.

These loose specs suggest the company is aiming for a range of around 200 miles for cars built on the same platform. The 2018 Nissan Leaf has a 40 kWh battery and has an EPA-rated range of 151 miles. The 2018 Chevy Bolt has a 60 kWh cell and is rated by the EPA for a range of 238 miles.

So, the future of Vauxhall is electricity, efficiency, weight reduction and an embrace of a more futuristic-looking design language. It'll be interesting to see how many of these concepts trickle down into its production models. And that will all start with next year's Corsa.

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