The Philadelphia Auto Show is back.
It never left the Pennsylvania Convention Center, but due to COVID it was canceled for 2021 and rescheduled for March 2022. The show returns to the typical He January to He February time slot this year.
But that may be all the familiarity show-goers can expect when the show kicks off at 9am on Saturday, January 28th.
Gone are the days of simply walking through acres of virtually every make and type of petrol car and truck. This year’s show saw more opportunities to ride vehicles on indoor tracks and more opportunities to drive outdoors. And more than ever, electric vehicles will be prominently displayed.
“The industry is constantly changing, and the show must change with it,” said Kevin Matsukola, executive director of the show’s sponsor, the Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia. “We are witnessing change within the walls of the convention center for the show.”
Electric vehicles take center stage
The growth of EVs at the show reflects a major shift in the industry. This year’s show will showcase more electric and hybrid vehicles than ever before.
“We are going through the biggest transformation in the industry since Ford and the assembly line,” Matsukola said.
EVs have been around for years, but they always seemed to be on the horizon. Now the corners have turned a bit, as more models, new tax credits, and long-range batteries have combined to push the market forward.
Ivan Drury, Director of Insights at Edmunds, said: “With 1 in 20 sales being EVs and 1 in 10 being green vehicles, electrified powertrains are in danger of disappearing. We have already achieved a level of relevance that has not been exposed to news release.
U.S. EV market share rose to 5.1% from 2022 to November, compared to 2.5% for the full year 2021, according to Edmunds data. The share of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles exceeded 10%. This is up from 6.2% for the full year 2021. Also, total EV and hybrid vehicle sales in 2022 should be higher than in 2021, despite a decline from just under 15 million in 2021 to about 13.8 million in 2022. am.
These recent sales increases will help keep the U.S. on track toward President Joe Biden’s goal of making half of all new car and light truck sales EVs by 2030.
“As more and more people start experiencing EVs and talking to people who are buying those cars, almost without exception the comment I hear from people is, ‘Wow, that’s amazing. Owning an electric car is a lot easier than I thought,” said Michael Bellube, deputy undersecretary for sustainable transportation at the Department of Energy, during a preview panel at the Washington Auto Show on Thursday. said in a discussion.
Visitors to the show can also learn about EV tax credits and get other information about EVs from Peco. The availability of federal tax credits and rebates is evolving as new rules are due to be introduced in March under the Inflation Reduction Act.
The Philadelphia Auto Show gives drivers a way to start thinking about the future looming 10 to 15 years down the road.
“We have come a long way. This is not a short-term move,” said Berube. “We are fundamentally changing the entire powertrain of the car.”
More opportunities to ride in style
Some 250 cars on display include the 2023 Toyota Prius Prime, Chevrolet Corvette Z06, and Subaru Solterra. The indoor ride exhibit occupies about three acres of his 15-acre footprint on the show. The show adds space left behind for the 2022 event.
The show’s refocused focus on indoor rides and outdoor drives will also help the show weather an industry shortage, as supply chain and logistics issues have led to a shortage of vehicles. Some manufacturers withdrew from the show years ago, notably Cadillac and BMW. Continued shortages and changes to auto shows across the country may have sapped incentives for manufacturers to resume visits.
Organizers at the Philadelphia Auto Show are looking to entice visitors to four ways to test drive a car.
Appearing for the second time at the Philadelphia Auto Show, electric vehicles will expand to five manufacturers and will be a central focus of the show. Show attendees can ride through the convention center with a professional driver who will explain the highlights of the various EVs.
Meanwhile, attendees looking for a hands-on, real-world driving experience can go outdoors and get behind the wheel of various models of Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Ram and Toyota.
Camp Jeep returns to the show for the first time in ten years. The experience allows visitors to ride a petrol-powered 4×4 through the hills, bumps and stony tracks of the convention center.
Ram Truck Territory takes it one step further with materials that simulate an off-road experience. Professional drivers drive the course featuring dirt moguls, rolling hills, staggered logs and 15-foot hills. At both events, attendees will feel the cars being pushed to extremes, see how heavy trucks reliably handle terrain, and see passenger compartments rocking back and forth and side to side across a variety of surfaces. .
“Flower shows have the dirtiest floors, probably second,” Mazzucola said with a laugh.
