Every year, CES transforms Las Vegas into a playground for automotive innovation. While most weeks automakers roll out incremental updates that barely register, CES remains the exception—a showcase where the industry’s boldest ideas take center stage. From ground-effect flying boats to million-dollar combine harvesters, this year’s show delivered surprises that ranged from practical to downright fantastical. Here are the coolest automotive finds from CES 2026.
Great Wall Motor is one of China’s top 10 auto manufacturers, cranking out over a million vans, SUVs, and trucks a year. SOUO is part of Great Wall, and it brought its flagship motorcycle to CES—the mighty S2000 CL. Sporting a 2.0-liter flat-eight mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, the big beast has one goal: to dominate the road and, specifically, to dominate the Honda Goldwing. The SOUO H8 engine makes 152 hp, which it needs to haul around its 926 pounds. It’s an ambitious machine from a manufacturer looking to make serious inroads into the premium motorcycle segment. Will it come to the U.S.? “We have the plan, but maybe later,” said company CEO Shengguang Zhao. That’s not exactly a firm commitment, but it signals intent. For now, American Goldwing loyalists can rest easy—but they might want to keep an eye on this Chinese contender.
Among the electric vehicles on display, the Longbow Speedster looked like the exact same car Longbow showed off when it launched the project back in March of last year. That’s fine, since it looks gorgeous. Even though the Speedster makes just 300 hp, the all-aluminum Longbow weighs just 1,984 pounds, a ratio strong enough to get it to 62 mph in just 3.5 seconds. Its H-shaped battery sits low in the chassis, giving it a ground-hugging center of gravity and a “favorable” center of inertia, according to co-CEO and co-founder Daniel Davey. “Since Tesla stopped building the roadster, there are no electric sports cars,” he said at CES, apparently forgetting the MG Cyberster. The plan is to build and sell 150 Speedsters in the U.K. and Europe, then start on the Roadster, which gets a roof and a windshield. As such, it will meet all U.S. FMVSS standards and be eligible for sale on American shores, Davey said. The company aims to produce 10,000 units annually by 2030. Orders for the Speedster are open now in Europe at $115,000. No pricing on the Roadster yet.
Perhaps the most imaginative concept at this year’s show came from an unlikely source. Anyone remember the Soviet ekranoplan, the only ground-effect vehicle ever to be operationally deployed as a warship? It looked like a big bomber but was designed to use ground effects—or water effects in this case—to skim over the top of the Caspian Sea, cramming air between its big, flat wings and the tips of the waves to stay below radar and graze all the way to enemy positions, where it would launch missiles stashed on its roof. Now Navee, maker of mostly kick scooters, has plans to take the principle of the old Caspian Sea monster and apply it to what looks like a very fun two-seater recreational vehicle. The WaveFly 5X is an electric-powered seaplane that can “glide on the water and ride into the sky,” according to Navee. Top speed is 53 mph, cruising speed is 40 mph, and it can fly for 70 minutes—more than enough to get to Catalina or Mackinac or from New Jersey and around Manhattan a few times. Even though it was only a foot-long model on the Navee stand, the concept alone earns a spot on this list.
The motorcycle segment saw another notable entry from Korea. Compass Rose is an independent Korean electric motorcycle company founded by Jahong Hur, who serves as both CEO and chief designer of the brand. It has produced a small fleet of artistically designed, neo-retro electric motorcycles, the top model of which is the Ciulator (get it? See you later?). Sporting a 34-hp electric motor and a full carbon-fiber body, the Ciulator can hit a top speed of almost 150 mph, according to Compass Rose. With a weight of just over 300 pounds, range is 100 miles. The catch? Price for the Ciulator is $50,000. But you’re getting premium materials throughout. The seat is made from Argentinian Cordoba leather selected for its durability and quality. The frame is constructed from Reynolds 953 steel tubing from the UK, a high-performance material widely recognized in premium motorcycle and bicycle manufacturing. Two other models round out the lineup: the Dandelion retro sport motorcycle at $8,000 and the Vespa-like DamiBell at $5,000. The company is actively looking for U.S. distributors.
One of the most unexpected innovations came from a company better known for full-size automotive transmissions. Jatco has been making transmissions for Japanese automotive OEMs like Nissan and Suzuki for over 50 years. The GA30 motor and three-speed transmission is something entirely different—and so small that it’s downright cute. Officially called Jatco’s 2-in-1 Drive Unit for Electric-Assist Bicycles, it fits on the rear hub of a bicycle, replacing or augmenting pedal power with electric assistance. While you might expect to see the small, round electric motor, the really cool component is nestled next to it: a sun gear surrounded by planetary gears just like a much larger automotive transmission. Right now, the whole unit is too wide to just swap into existing bicycle frames. But the engineering principles on display here represent a fascinating bridge between automotive transmission expertise and micromobility. Ultimately, this was one of the coolest finds at CES.
Safety technology also made a strong showing this year. Gentex is a global automotive supplier that designs, develops, and manufactures components like automatic-dimming rearview mirrors, camera-based driver-assistance systems, and other essential automotive parts. This year, it focused its CES display on digital rearview mirrors, dimmable sun visors, and driver monitoring systems. The coolest component was an infrared display that used thermal cameras only slightly smaller than a walnut to look front and rear, with the rear display showing up in the rearview mirror and the front on a dash-mounted screen. But rather than just show thermal images, Gentex’s software can detect animal outlines and warn the driver before, say, a deer leaps in front of the car. Finally! Other manufacturers have put thermal cameras in cars and done nothing meaningful with them. This system could mean happier deer in Da Yoop (that’s Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for the uninitiated) this spring—and safer drivers everywhere.
Not all the impressive machinery at CES had wheels designed for pavement. The John Deere XP9 1100 is the company’s top-of-the-line, high-capacity combine harvester—its largest model, known for “exceptional productivity in large fields.” While it has advanced automation in the form of cameras and GPS, it’s not fully autonomous, requiring someone to sit way up in the cab during operation. But farmers on the show floor praised the rig’s dual-rotor threshing, large grain tank, and high-capacity unloading for increasing productivity by 30 percent. “We cut four days off a harvest,” said one. The price? When you load them up, they’ll clear $1 million. That’s a serious investment, but for large-scale farming operations, the productivity gains could justify the cost.
Segway, best known for that still-unusual stand-upon device that was supposed to revolutionize human transportation, continues to diversify its product lineup. It didn’t exactly revolutionize transportation, but the company is still around, making everything from kick scooters to robotic lawnmowers. Last year, Segway introduced its first eBikes, and this year it showed off the new Myon eBike with push-button electronic shifting. “It’s not an automatic,” said Segway’s Don Stefanovich. “A plus-and-minus button on the handlebar controls the electronic shifting.” Onboard gyroscopes make the pedal-assist smoother, while the small screen on the center of the handlebars, the Segway Intelligent Ride System, fields phone calls, keeps you apprised of your bike’s range, and can even get OTA updates. The bike also has automatic headlights, GPS tracking, and a Lost mode that can help you get it back if it’s stolen. Price for the Myon starts at $1,999, well below many eBike competitors. For $99 more you can get rearview radar with blind-spot monitoring and lane-change warnings. For $299 you can get a hydraulic seat post that automatically lowers at stops so that shorter riders can easily get a foot on the ground. There’s also a really cool-looking dirt bike called the Saber 300, with as much peak power as a 300-cc gas motorcycle, that costs $5,299.
For the overlanding and mobile living crowd, AC Future brought something extraordinary. The AC THt is more than just a slide-out camper. It expands to double its trailering size, up to 450-plus square feet (the company website says 400). Whatever the exact number, it looked extraordinary on the show stand. AC Future products are aimed at self-sufficiency, the company says, with high-capacity solar systems, up to 90-kWh batteries, and even rainwater recovery systems. There are trailers, fifth wheels, and drivable units, depending on your needs. Prices range from about $100,000 to $300,000. For overlanders and off-grid enthusiasts, this represents a serious mobile living solution with genuine energy independence.
Rounding out the list, Thrustmaster brought the T598 steering wheel controller for sim racing enthusiasts. This attaches to your gaming rig to provide smooth, realistic steering feedback. It’s not automotive technology in the traditional sense, but for the growing sim racing community—and automakers increasingly using simulators for development—quality hardware like this matters. Price is around $500 at Best Buy and other outlets.
CES 2026 proved that automotive innovation extends far beyond traditional cars and trucks. From Chinese motorcycles challenging Honda’s dominance to ground-effect flying boats and million-dollar harvesters, this year’s show demonstrated the industry’s willingness to push boundaries. Some of these products will hit the market soon. Others remain concepts or limited-production curiosities. But all of them represent the kind of bold thinking that keeps CES relevant for automotive enthusiasts year after year. Whether you’re in the market for a $2,000 eBike or a $1 million combine harvester, CES 2026 had something to capture your imagination.
