“The theme of this year’s show – ‘Change Happens Here’ – is meant to demonstrate our commitment to working with the decision makers and innovators in the industry; to ensure the right connections are being made with the thought leaders of the industry to capture the best thinking and values in our products.” –Charles Stringfellow, CEO of Brown’s Automotive and chairman of The Washington Auto Show.
It was almost too big for one person to cover – 65,000 square feet of space packed with more than 700 vehicles from over 42 domestic and foreign manufacturers, along with a gaggle of other products – from fast re-charging system for electric vehicles to new processes for turning waste paper and other “organic trash” into vehicle fuel, with engines re-designed to efficiently burn such biofuel.
Indeed, it took me three hours just to conduct a cursory walk-through of the 2010 Washington Auto Show – barely scratching the surface of all the interesting things laid out for viewing.
[Here’s a quick “snapshot” of just a few of the many sights at the 68th annual Washington Auto Show.]
SAE International and the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) co-located with the auto show this year, bringing top thinkers in advanced technology and public policy together under one roof.
In particular, the electric vehicles and related technology displayed under the auspices of the EDTA demonstrated some of the new paths being blazed in this area vehicle technology.
[Click here to view a photo gallery of these all-electric vehicles.]
All-electric cars and trucks weren’t the only “alternate fueled” models on display at the show – not by a long shot. Cars and light trucks that operate on hydrogen-powered fuel cells, natural gas, gasoline-electric hybrids, even ethanol-electric hybrids, got some time in the spotlight.
[A photo gallery of these vehicles is available for viewing here.]
Then there are the concept vehicles: cars and light trucks sporting prototype designs and powertrain that represent some of the latest thinking going on in the automotive realm, both in the U.S. and overseas in Europe and Asia.
[You can take a gander at the concept vehicles displayed at the show by clicking here.]
But of course, what’s an auto show without luxury vehicles, I ask you? Big money sedans and sport cars built for the rich and shameless right alongside fully-restored classics from the past; vehicles only affordable for folks with a working knowledge of two words the rest of us are quite unfamiliar with these days: disposable income.
[Here are just a few of the sharp rides that were at the show – click here to see them.]
It wasn’t just about the products, either, as many company executives were on hand to describe some of their future strategies when it comes to the market – from green technologies to safety systems.
Below are some of Ford Motor Co.’s CEO Alan Mulally comments from the show
Mulally also took questions from the attending journalists, discussing everything from green technologies to safety systems.
My only regret about attending the 2010 Washington Auto Show is that I only had but three hours to try and take in everything on display. Next year, I’m going to try and carve out a lot more time for it.