ELECTRIC VEHICLES GET SPOTLIGHT AT LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW

Battery-powered vehicles will get top billing at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens this week after a year’s hiatus due to the novel coronavirus.

Subaru, which has seen strong sales growth in the U.S. during the past decade, will unveil its first all-electric vehicle, a smallish SUV named the Solterra.

VinFast, a Vietnamese automaker that plans to start selling in the U.S. next year, will show off two all-electric SUVs.

Auto shows have been waning in importance because auto companies have decided to avoid the expenses and unveil vehicles at their own events. Automakers showing new vehicles have only 10 news conferences planned for the L.A. show this year, many from electric vehicle startups. In 2019, the show said it had 25 global reveals from automakers.

But the shows are still big big draws for customers in metro areas who want to see what’s new, all in one place.