Autonomy’s Guide to Electric Vehicles at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show

Auto show season kicks off in Los Angeles with a slate of debuts and displays from the world’s premier automakers. Now in its 115th year, the Los Angeles Auto Show opens to the media on Thursday, November 17, for a day of announcements and reveals, and then welcomes the public to the Los Angeles Convention Center from Friday, November 18 through November 27.

Beyond the impressive collection of vehicles on display, a record-setting number of indoor and outdoor drive experiences will be offered from a wide variety of well-known domestic and import automotive manufacturers. Most notable is the EV Test Track powered by Electrify America, which will feature test drives of electric vehicles from Chevrolet, Genesis, Kia, VinFast, Volkswagen, and Porsche.

Additional test tracks hosted by Hyundai, Nissan, Ford, Jeep, and Ram will also give attendees opportunities to participate in vehicle ride-alongs and street drives of their popular models.

Electric vehicles are expected to play an important role at this year’s show. “As electrification continues to gain prominence among car buyers, it will again be a prominent factor in the vehicles that will be unveiled at AutoMobility LA as well as those displayed throughout this year’s show,” said Los Angeles Auto Show President Terri Toennies. “From technological advances to style and culture, our show will reflect the worldwide influence of California innovation and style.”

The second annual Zero-Emission Vehicle Award (ZEVAS™) will also be presented at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show. The first people’s choice award program of its kind, the ZEVAS award celebrates the top zero-emission vehicles available for sale or preorder, as selected by a “complete cross section of society — moms, dads, students, entrepreneurs, hospitality workers, educators, business professionals, content creators, and more — put simply, the people who actually buy and lease vehicles.”

What Electric Vehicles Are We Anticipating Seeing at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show?

As is typical at every auto show, manufacturers are very protective of their announcements prior to their scheduled press conferences, so the following information has been acquired from a variety of knowledgeable sources. We will be updating these statements as additional information is revealed at the show.

Lucid Air Pure and Air Touring Sedans, and Gravity SUV

Lucid’s high-performance and extended-range electric vehicles are stunning in both design and dollars, with the Lucid Air Dream Edition offering more than 500 miles of range at a lofty price of more than $170,000. At the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show, we are expecting two new trim levels of the Lucid Air that might be seen as slightly more affordable, starting with the Lucid Air Pure, which will initially launch with a starting price of $87,400 and a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive configuration. Lucid is also teasing its Air Touring trim level, which promises a seamless “Glass Canopy” that reaches from the base of the windshield to over the heads of the front passengers for an unobstructed view, as well as Lucid’s advanced driver-assistance system, DreamDrive Pro, all for an MSRP of $107,400.

Lucid will also share updates on future models, including its Project Gravity SUV. Lucid is keeping full specs, including EPA-estimated range and additional details, secret until media day.

Hyundai IONIQ 6

Built on the same platform as its crossover/SUV sibling, the Hyundai IONIQ 5, we expect the IONIQ 6 will also be available with single-motor rear-wheel-drive or dual-motor all-wheel-drive options. The configurations will be powered by either a 53 kWh or a 77.4 kWh battery producing a max of 320 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque and capable of charging from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes. EPA range estimates are not yet available for the vehicle, though it is expected to boast a 400-mile range.

Fiat Abarth New 500e

Fiat has been sharing teasers on Instagram hinting at a new model it is calling the Abarth New 500e. Insider info says the hot-hatch EV will be offered with a front-mounted electric motor powered by a choice of 24- or 42-kWh battery packs promising 94 or 117 horsepower. The powerful Abarth variant is said to offer up to 199 miles of range, and promises to be substantially quicker than the standard Fiat 500. Fiat parent Stellantis has announced that it will become an EV-only brand between 2025 and 2030, pledging to sell 5 million all-electric vehicles by 2030.

Genesis GV70

When it begins production in December at the Montgomery, Alabama, production plant, the Genesis GV70 will not just be the first Genesis model built in the United States, but also the first Genesis vehicle to be built outside of South Korea. ”The North American debut of the Electrified GV70 and its assembly in Montgomery, Alabama, [represents] a significant milestone for Genesis,” said the brand’s COO, Claudia Marquez. The luxury crossover, which has already launched in Europe, features a 77.4-kWh battery pack that powers a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system promising 429 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Boost Mode temporarily increases the output to 483 horsepower, to launch from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds.

EPA ratings remain a mystery, but the U.K.-edition Electrified GV70 can travel up to 283 miles on a single charge. The crossover also has 350 kW DC fast charging capability, which enables the battery to go from a 10% to 80% charge under 20 minutes.

VinFast VF 6,  VF 7, VF 8, and VF 9

We’re expecting a special announcement from VinFast, the Vietnamese automaker which has pledged to build a manufacturing plant in North Carolina in order to build and sell their electric vehicles around the world. VinFast will display four all-electric SUV models — the VF 6, VF 7, VF 8, and VF 9 — and will have a VF 8 available for ride-alongs on the test track.

We’re expecting to provide updated details and information once we have it on media day, so stay tuned!