Recap of 2023 Fully Charged Live
The 2023 Fully Charged Live show has come and gone. This year marks the first time that this electronics show has come to Canada. A vast majority of the exhibits showcased the latest all-electric vehicles from major brands such as Porsche, Hyundai, BMW, & Volkswagen to name a few. But it wasn’t just about 4 wheels, 2-wheeled modes of transportation were also a major focus of the show. Everything from electric bicycles, electric scooters, and electric motorcycles also had a presence at the show. In addition to different modes of transportation, some of the exhibits displayed the latest in home & public charging.
The 2023 Fully Charged Live show had a few Canadian debuts of new vehicles. One of which was the all-new 2024 BMW i5. The BMW i5 joins the i4 and the i7 as the latest all electric sedan from the German luxury brand. At launch, it will be available in this M60 variant with 593 hp, a 0-100 km/h time of 3.8 seconds, and up to 412 km of driving range. It’ll start at $95,000 and expect to see it at OpenRoad BMW Langley or The BMW Store in Vancouver at the end of this year.
The BMW i5 was not the only new unveil at this Fully Charged Show, we also got a glimpse of the all-new 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric. Not only does this 2nd generation get fresh styling, but it’s also more spacious. The 64.8 kWh battery allows for up to 418 km of driving range and just 43 minutes of fast charging capability from 10% to 80%. No word yet on pricing but expect to see this car at OpenRoad Hyundai in Richmond at the start of 2024.
Volkswagen also had a strong presence at Fully Charged Live with the main attraction being the all-new iD.Buzz. This iD.Buzz brings back the nostalgia of the classic Type 1 Microbus from the 1950’s but with a modern all-electric powertrain. The 91 kWh battery can provide up to 330 hp in the AWD variant and 282 hp in the RWD variant. Pre-orders of the Volkswagen iD.Buzz will start in late 2024.
Brand new vehicles were not the only attraction at the show, there were also quite a few classics such as these Porches. They were converted to be fully electric and given a new lease on life. There was also a car from the early 1900’s. This, however, was not a modern day conversion. This is an all-electric car from that era.
Additionally, there were booths from local schools such as BCIT and VCC showcasing the electric technologies that their students are learning and working on. There were also home and public charging solutions that will one day be available to the public. And finally, showgoers could ask questions to industry experts and environment ministers at one of the two presentation stages.
Overall, the 2023 Fully Charged Live show was a popular hit among Vancouverites and expect to see it again in 2024.