Electric vehicles are the star at the San Diego Auto Show – San Diego Union-Tribune

Hundreds of new cars and trucks are on display at the annual International Auto Show in downtown San Diego – but electric vehicles are getting special attention this year as California ramps up efforts to phase out gasoline-powered passenger vehicles over the next decade.

A special bonus for car enthusiasts is a 65,000-square-foot indoor electric vehicle test track at the San Diego Convention Center, where attendees can sit next to a professional driver to experience firsthand the driving experience of vehicles from a variety of brands, from Cadillac to Chevrolet to Toyota and Volvo. Outdoor test drives are also offered for both electric and gas vehicles.

It is noteworthy that at least one electric vehicle can be seen in every exhibition on display, said trade fair spokesman Joe Rohatynski. As a measure of the growing electric vehicle market in San Diego County, the number of electric vehicles this year is higher than at previous shows.

New to the auto show this year are three brands – including McLaren, which is known for its high-performance road vehicles, including the Artura supercar, which will be on display.

A total of more than 250 vehicles from 14 manufacturers are represented this year.

That’s down from the pre-pandemic show in 2019-2020, when more than 400 vehicles from 25 automakers were on display. That’s partly because automakers have now found other ways to market their vehicles that tend to compete with auto shows, Rohatynski says.

The show, operated by the New Car Dealers Association of San Diego County, is the second largest auto show in California. It runs through Wednesday and ticket prices range from $12 to $18.

Originally published: December 28, 2024 at 2:11 pm PST