McSTREAMY.COM (02/18/2015) – There are Electric and Gas Cars Galore at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show. The nation’s largest auto show not only offers visitors an opportunity to both see and, in some cases, drive the latest in vehicle hardware, it also features vehicles with the same source of power today as 110 years ago, gas engines and batteries. The show is on now through February 22, 2015.
Today’s battery powered vehicles come in a couple of flavors. Pure electrics are cars that run on battery power only. There are also extended-range electrics. These vehicles run on electric power until the battery charge runs out and then a gasoline engine kicks in to extend driving range.
2015 Nissan Leaf Electric Car at Chicago Auto Show
The two most prominent electrics on the floor are the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf. But there are many others, like the band BMW i3 and Ford Fusion Energi, each designed to meet a different need.
Visitors to the first Chicago Auto Show in 1901 were treated to a new-fangled invention called the automobile, a four-wheeled machine designed to replace the four-legged horse as the most common and accepted form of transportation.
Though only a handful of cars were on display in the old Chicago Coliseum, they came in a variety of “flavors”, powered not just by gas, but by electricity as well.
This year marks the 107th edition of the Chicago Auto Show. First staged in 1901, the Chicago Auto Show is the largest auto show in North America and has been held more times than any other auto exposition on the continent.
2016 Chevrolet Volt. An audience draw at the Chicago Auto Show
“The Chicago Auto Show provides automakers the opportunity to connect with hundreds of thousands of consumers,” said John Webb, 2015 Chicago Auto Show chairman.
“In all, nearly a thousand different vehicles will be on display that appeal to each and every attendee; no other show can offer the diversity of display that you’ll find in Chicago,” Webb said.
Show organizers have added structure to the 10-day run of the show. Special days at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show include:
– Family Day: Monday, Feb. 16. The Chicago Auto Show hosted family fun on Presidents Day. Manufacturers hosted programs tailored to families, including kid-oriented activities and safety events.
– Women’s Day: Tuesday, Feb. 17. Women were admitted for just $6. Manufactures presented women-oriented programs on the purchase and lease of cars and maintenance.
– Hispanic Heritage Day: Friday, Feb. 20. On Hispanic Heritage Day, Chicago Auto Show exhibitors develop and host Hispanic celebration events.
– Chicago Auto Show Food Drive: Feb. 18-20. Show patrons who bring three cans of food will receive a coupon for half-priced admission. All food will be donated to A Safe Haven Foundation.
The Chicago Auto Show is the largest auto show on the continent, spanning more than 1 million square feet of production, concept, and exotic vehicle exhibit space. In addition to hosting multiple world and North America vehicle debuts, the Chicago Auto Show’s First Look for Charity raises more than $2 million annually for 18 vital Chicago organizations in a single night.
Founded in 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association is the nation’s oldest and largest metropolitan dealer organization. It is comprised of more than 400 franchised new-car dealers and an additional 150 allied members. The group’s dealer members employ about 19,000 people in the metropolitan area. The association has produced the world famous Chicago Auto Show since 1935.
For more information, visit ChicagoAutoShow or Facebook.com/ChicagoAutoShow.
The gray automobile seen at the top of this story about the 2015 Chicago Auto Show is a 2015 Porsche Panamera E Hybrid-1. – McSTREAMY.COM
