The LA Auto Show was one of the first indoor auto shows to return since the COVID outbreak. There were a few vehicles, tech and companies that stood out during the two days leading up to the event.
Here are the vehicles and themes that got the most attention in Los Angeles this year.
The narrative is shifting to green and clean.
The image was created by Kirsten Korosec.
The theme of the day was sustainable and climate change. It was a mix of greenwashing and action.
The introduction to the video shows how important it is to become environmental aware before the introduction of the plug-in hybrid and all-electric concept cars. Fisker talked about saving the ocean. The continued support of environmental-friendliness was highlighted by the continued commitment to green initiatives by Subaru, which invested quite a bit of money into supporting everything from national parks to animal rescue.
It is important to note that the entire auto industry has dragged its feet in the path to lower emissions, innovation around sustainable manufacturing and sourcing and finding ways to recycle and reuse parts and vehicles that have come to the end of their usable lives. At multiple press conferences at the show, there was a dire warning about the impact humans have on climate change.
The mode is Hollywood.
The image was created by Kirsten Korosec.
The near-production version of the Fisker Ocean, an all-electric SUV, has a 17.1-inch screen that can change from landscape to vertical in 90 degrees.
Users can play games and watch videos when the ocean is charging. Fisker says it has a patent on the screen tech.
The image was created by Kirsten Korosec.
It is electric.
The image was created by Kirsten Korosec.
The theme of the LA Auto Show was the electrification of everything. There were plenty of ICE-powered vehicles on the floor, but the big news was the battery power.
The Nissan Ariya SUV and Toyota bz4x are all electric, as is the final variant of the all-electricPorsche Sport Turismo sedan and wagon with their magic roof.
It keeps you from getting sick.
The image was created by Kirsten Korosec.
As we enter into the third year of the Pandemic, car makers are looking at ways to keep us from getting sick. At the LA Auto Show, the Seven SUV concept was unveiled by the Korean company.
The electric restomods are on their way.
The image was created by Kirsten Korosec.
At the LA Auto Show this year, there was a number of older car bodies on new electric powertrains. They offer a new way to enjoy classic vehicles, even though they don't offer the same experience as an internal combustion engine.
The C300, which looked a lot like an old-school Shelby Cobra, was brought to the show by Cobera. The C300 has an all-electric powertrain that can take it from 0-62 mph in 2.7 seconds. The Cobera C300 was designed and built by a Hungarian company. The synthetic sound from the car makes it sound like an old V8 when it is switched on.
The eRoadster, an electric car that looks like a 356 Speedster, was shown off at the LA Auto Show by the company.
The image was created by Kirsten Korosec.
It wasn't just the small and relatively unknown automakers who brought out the restomods with new powertrains. Ford brought it's F-100 to the show in November. The 1978 F-100 Ford Eluminator electric restomod has a Ford E-crate motor that customers can buy and put into their own vehicles.
Ford says that the F-100 has 480 horsepower and 635 ft-lbs of Torque. A new and updated system with a screen and digital dash is inside.
The image was created by Kirsten Korosec.
There are three wheels.
The image was created by Kirsten Korosec.
There were more three-wheeled vehicles at the show this year than in the past. The electric and solar powered tuk tuks brought by Biliti Electric could be used for last-mile delivery by companies like Amazon and Walmart in densely populated cities around the world.
The founder of the GMW Taskman says that they have delivered more than 12 million packages and traveled more than 20 million miles.
The image was created by Kirsten Korosec.
During press days, the company was offering test drives of the SOLO vehicles, which it unveiled back in 2016 at the show. The company says the small electric cars can do up to 100 miles on a charge and make up to 80 mph with a top speed of 80 mph. It is a single seater with cargo space and is designed for short trips or commute around town. The cost of the solo is $18,500.
Sondors brought a three-wheeled electric vehicle that the company says can travel around 100 miles. The EV was built after a successful round of crowd funding, and it has a 33 kWh battery pack, making 170hp and 323lb-ft of Torque.
The Sagitta is a three-wheeled electric car. The largest of the three-wheeled passenger vehicles that made an appearance at the show has enough space for up to four people. Sagitta didn't have any specifications on the vehicle yet, but they said they would be taking reservations in mid-2022.
Barbie.
The image was created by Abigail Bassett.
At the LA Auto show, a life-size version of the Barbie Extra car was unveiled. The body of the car was made from fiberglass and had a pet pool in the back and a pair of wings for doors.
There is solar power.
The image was created by Kirsten Korosec.
There were a few vehicles at the show that had solar charging options. At the LA Auto Show, Phoenix Motor Inc. and Chinese energy company SPI showed off a retractable solar pick up bed cover that can add up to 35 miles of range to the vehicle. The company said that it is still taking customer input on features and uses of the huge vehicles and that they are still prototypes.
The company said that the massive bug-like looking EF1-T should be able to travel up to 450 miles on a charge and they are preselling the vehicles now for delivery in 2025. That is a long way off in our book.
