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Attendees to this year’s OC Auto Show should ready themselves for a truly electric experience.
And that’s not just a metaphor.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe on the Camp Jeep Off-Road Track at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A Toyota 4Runner at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A 2022 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A 2022 Hyundai IONIQ 5 electric vehicle at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A BMW iX electric vehicle at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The interior of the BMW iX electric vehicle at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The 2023 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A Toyota RAV4 Hybrid at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
2023 Kia Telluride X-Pro, left, and 2022 Kia EV6 Wind RWD at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe on the Camp Jeep Off-Road Track at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A Nissan ARIYA electric vehicle at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Lexus IS 500 at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The interior of the Lexus IS 500 at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Various colors for Chevy sport utility vehicles at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A Ford Bronco Raptor at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Martin Alvarez of Los Angeles tries out the Kia Telluride Driving Experience at the OC Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Anaheim. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Multiple models of electric vehicles, or EVs as they are commonly called, from Chevrolet, Nissan, Kia, Ford, Volkswagen and other manufacturers will be on display during the show, which makes its first return since the start of the pandemic this weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center. It runs through Sunday.
“There is a big emphasis on electric,” said John Sackrison, executive director of the Orange County Automobile Dealers Association, owners of the four-day show. “Orange County is one of the top EV markets in the country. Twenty percent of all new vehicles sold this year (in OC) have been electric vehicles. That makes us one of the leaders in the nation.”
The SoCal Electrified Ride Experience features an indoor performance track where attendees can ride shotgun in an array of models with professional drivers at the wheel to experience the rapid acceleration and tight handling of new all-electric vehicles.
All-electric vehicles from Porsche, Audi, Genesis, Mini and BMW are also being featured.
Electric Avenue, an EV learning center, is set up adjacent to the track to educate consumers on the benefits of EVs, charging options, and what California motorists can expect from EVs in the future.
“Some people don’t understand the performance of an electric vehicle,” Sackrison said. “We think green, good for the environment, but they are a kick in the pants to drive. So, the goal is of this EV experience is to let consumers know that it’s not necessarily a trade off. I think many will think of it as a trade up.”
Manufactures of a variety of car styles are offering test drives at the auto show.
At the Toyota Driver Center, attendees can test-drive the Tundra, Sequoia, Tundra Hybrid and RAV-4 Hybrid, among other models.
The Crown, a new model from Toyota is also on the floor.
“Whenever you’ve got a new vehicle produced by a manufacturer, that is something that will pique a lot of interest,” Sackrison said.
Exotic vehicles from McLaren and Lamborghini will also be gathering curious crowds on the display floor.
At an off-road test course, Camp Jeep, attendees can ride as passengers as 4×4 drivers navigate up and down an 18-foot, 35-degree hill and then rumble over a stretch of terrain simulating fallen logs.
Jesse Qualley, the Camp Jeep course manager, expects hybrid models of the Wrangler Rubicon and Grand Cherokee to be a popular choice among those wanting to experience the course.
The Cherokee and Rubicon hybrids are among the first of the hybrids in which the driver has the choice of going all-electric, hybrid or all-gas, Qualley said.
Hours: Noon to 10 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets: $15 for adults and $12 for senior citizens. Children 12 and younger are free when accompanied by an adult. Note, the Anaheim Convention Center is cashless.
“So, it’s a middle ground,” he said. “As everything is going all electric, you are not dependent on electric, yet you can still use it and get the benefits of it.”
It’s still a Rubicon, he said. “They want to take the doors off. They want to take the roof off. It’s still the Rubicon that we know and love. Now it’s a little more efficient.”
On Sunday, a special collection of Ford Mustangs from the OC Mustang Club are scheduled to be displayed.
There is a lot to see after the auto show went into park for two years of the pandemic.
There have “been seismic shifts” in the auto industry the past three years, Sackrison said.
“If you think of a three-year gap, a lot changes,” he said. “That is what is making this show so exciting for me.”
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