Unveiling the Quirky Innovations: CES 2025’s Gadgets That Dazzle and Delight

A solar-powered vehicle, a cat tower that purifies air, and a phone charger crafted to deliver a full day’s power in just two seconds have been among the striking gadgets attracting attention during the CES technology exhibition in Las Vegas.

The yearly event has been ongoing this week, featuring over 100,000 participants from the tech industry examining thousands of newly released devices on display.

The showcased items comprise a blend of products nearing launch and those conceptualized for future development, encompassing every category of gadgets, from smart home gadgets to electric automobiles.

Among the more striking new offerings is from Aptera Motors, which has appeared at CES with what it claims to be a production-ready solar electric vehicle.

The vehicle features solar panels integrated into the hood and rear, claiming a range of up to 400 miles on a single charge.

Furthermore, the company asserts that drivers can accumulate up to an additional 40 miles of gratis travel daily solely from captured sunlight, estimating that in sunny areas, users could achieve over 10,000 miles of solar-powered travel per year—lessening dependence on home or public charging stations.

However, the Aptera is not the only electric automobile capturing attention at CES, as electronics powerhouse Sony has declared that its electric vehicle, Afeela 1 – developed in collaboration with Honda, is now open for orders for the first time.

The vehicle, anticipated to begin deliveries in 2026, will start at slightly below 90,000 dollars (€87,853.73), which encompasses a three-year subscription to various in-car functionalities, including semi-autonomous driving assistance and an AI-driven personal assistant.

Robotics have consistently been a significant trend at CES, and this year is no exception, with a diverse array of robots on display, designed to assist humans in various capacities.

Two that have garnered attention are both robotic vacuum cleaners, but featuring differing additional attributes tailored to enhance their utility.

The X50 Ultra, produced by the Chinese company Dreame, incorporates a set of retractable legs allowing the robot to “leap” over small staircases or ledges within the household, enabling access to areas unreachable by other robotic vacuums.

Directly across the aisle in one of the CES exhibition halls is fellow robotic vacuum manufacturer Roborock, which has presented the Saros Z70 at the event.

What distinguishes Roborock’s device is its inclusion of a foldable mechanical arm, which it can utilize to pick up and relocate, or tidy away, minor impediments it comes across during cleaning.

Another variety of smart home robot, Samsung’s Ballie, returns to CES this year as well.

Initially showcased at the convention five years ago, Samsung indicates the device is slated for its official public launch in 2025.

Ballie is crafted to serve as a smart home companion, but also includes a built-in projector capable of displaying reminders or other information upon receiving voice commands, and can also project video onto walls at the user’s request.

Meanwhile, one of the unexpected triumphs at the tech exhibition has been a mobile charging system revealed by the start-up Swippitt.

It has developed a smartphone charging solution that it claims can completely recharge a phone’s battery in just two seconds.

This is achieved through a smart design integrating a phone case that contains a battery pack for wireless charging, alongside the Swippitt Hub, a toaster-like device that swaps out the battery pack in the case for a fully charged one within seconds when the user places their phone into it.

The company asserts that the system can double a user’s phone battery in two seconds, and also includes several spare batteries embedded into the Hub, allowing multiple family members to charge up for the day.

On the more unconventional side of announcements is a gadget from tech leader LG that merges an air purifier with a cat perch.

The AeroCatTower features a cat seat atop the purifier, with that basket also being heated to ensure comfort for felines and includes an integrated scale for users to monitor their cat’s sleep duration via LG’s ThinQ smart home application.