(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – This year’s Chicago Auto Show will feature a first-ever appearance by Tesla as the exposition widens the inventory of Electric Vehicles the public can compare and inspect.
Elon Musk’s EV heavyweight will be among nine car brands featured in Chicago Drives Electric, an indoor test track, promoters said. The other EV makers are BMW; Cadillac; Chevrolet; Ford; Kia; Lucid; Nissan and Volkswagen.
But it’s Tesla’s presence that is the big deal here, says Geoff Buchholz, a WBBM Newsradio editor who will be covering the event, given the automaker’s previous scarcity at the annual show.
“Tesla is one of the biggest electric car brands in the world, so, they probably don't need a lot of help with that,” he tells podcast host Jim Hanke on the latest episode of Looped In: Chicago. “But this year, Tesla is going to have cars in the EV test track experience, which is actually sponsored by the IBEW, the electricians’ union.”
This year’s crop of EV brands at the Chicago Drives Electric hub is nearly double the amount seen at last year’s, organizers note. The 125,000-square-foot test track area is described as a “one-stop destination for attendees to experience the latest brands and to learn about all aspects of EV mobility and lifestyle, including at-home charging, range anxiety, maintenance and associated EV ownership costs.”
While Tesla will be emerging in Chicago for the first time, a major auto manufacturer, Stellantis, has bowed out over cost concerns following the recent United Auto Workers strike. The Stellantis umbrella includes Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep; the latter brand was known for its popular, rugged test-drive track at McCormick Place.
“It's the tallest one in the place. So, that won't be there this year,” says Chicago-based CBS News radio anchor Jennifer Keiper, who has covered the auto industry. “But there are more than enough other things and other experiences that you can do -- other tracks, other simulators, outside driving.”
Keiper calls the Chicago event “one of the best auto shows in the country.”
The event runs Feb. 10-19. For more information, go to the auto show website.
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