9 Cool Things to See, Do, and Learn at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show (2023)

Ram unveiled its battery-electric pickup truck concept, theRam 1500 Revolution Concept, at CES last month. The forward-thinking EV is at the Chicago Auto Show this week, along with the promise that we'll learn more details about the production version during a Ram commercial later this week.super bowl domingo. During a press preview of the truck, Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. confirmed that the production truck will be called the Ram 1500 Rev and will begin production next year.

Ram calls the Revolution a "proof of concept" truck and has filled it with tons of creative EV solutions, like the ability to haul 18-foot-long ladders or lumber with the tailgate closed thanks to a pass-through door. . .

It has a film projector in the front, the ability to autonomously follow someone walking around the workplace, and an over-bed 3D scanner that can collect data for on-site CAD files. Whether any of these clever ideas will make it into production remains to be seen.

We know that Ram will ensure that its first electric pickup sets the tone for future electric vehicles, making everything from charging to driving easier for drivers, Koval said. One example he pointed to was the automated cargo robot concept that Ram displayed at CES alongside the truck.

"When you're looking to provide full-line electrified solutions, as we will, you need to embrace advanced disruptive technology without interrupting the lives or livelihoods of those who rely on us," said Koval. “On Sunday, when the world gets its first look at the Ram Rev, people will see more than just our first electric truck. They will see our commitment to the future. The Ram Rev will be the epicenter of a worldwide lineup of BEVs. Ram Rating".

Toyota prepares for the firstNASCAR street racing in ChicagoThis July weekend collaborating with the Art Institute of Chicago. Because when you think of NASCAR, you think of Vincent Van Gogh, right?

Toyota unveiled a color-wrapped "art" Camry pace car in Chicago this week, covered with modified versions of Van Gogh artwork. The Dutch painter was chosen because the Art Institute will host an exhibition of works by the painter called "Van Gogh and the Avant-garde: The Modern Landscape" this summer, exactly when NASCAR drivers must pass through the building.

Hyundai Motor Group won two awards this week for its family friendliness. HeHyundai Palisade 2023(photo here)was named Family Vehicle of the Year, and the2023 Genesis GV60named Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year by the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA).

The Palisade beat an eclectic pair of other finalists: theFord F-150 Thunderboltit's himHyundai Ioniq 5. The other two finalists in the luxury category were the Lincoln Navigator and the Genesis G90.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Rubicon,all-terrainbrought three special editions of2023 Wrangler Rubiconto chicago There were two powertrain variants, a Rubicon 4xe and a Rubicon 392, and both can be seriously modified with an American Expedition Vehicles Tier II lift kit, running on 37-inch BF Goodrich all-terrain tires. long ground clearance (14.2 inches) to provide over a meter of water ford and truly incredible climb and descent capability with a 50-degree approach angle, 33-degree break-off angle, and 43-degree departure angle degrees.

All 20th Anniversary Wrangler Rubicons feature a new variant of Jeep's seven-slot grille, beadlock-capable wheels, a triple-rimmed grille guard and, of course, 20th Anniversary decals. The 392 even has a Mopar air compressor onboard a Wrangler for the first time. Jeep will begin building the Rubicon 20th Anniversary Editions in Toledo this quarter, with deliveries beginning mid-year.

McCormick Place is a huge convention center, and with the auto show going back to two rooms (during the pandemic, only one room was needed), there's room for indoor test tracks. Some brands, such as Jeep, Hyundai and Toyota, have their own lanes, and there is also 100,000 square feet of reserved space for customers to quickly get behind the wheel of multi-brand electric vehicles, including thenisan ariayCadillac Lyriq.

Called Chicago Drives Electric, the official EV charger sponsor of the EV tracks is Autel Energy, and the charging stations that Autel has set up next to its booth are used to charge the cars this year, said the director of operations for the Autel, John Thomas.car week. It's all part of making potential EV buyers feel more prepared and excited about the technology.

Thomas said that Autel continues to update its list of frequently asked questions they receive from people at events like this, so they are better prepared to answer questions about charging at the next show (Autel will be part of the New York Auto Show this year, for example ) . For Thomas, the electric cars that sell the most are the cars themselves.

"Once you get someone's butt in the seat of an electric vehicle and they drive it, they're like, oh wow, that's really awesome," he said. "It's quiet. It's super fast. It has massive torque. When I first got my Tesla, my wife looked at me and said, 'Is this cool? This is like a roller coaster.'" I'm like, 'This is it. Isn't that fun?'"

Subaru revealed the specs of the third-generation Crosstrek before it even hit the showroom, and the good news?EyeSight driver assistance technologyis now standard across the entire range. Great from a safety point of view, but it's only possible because of some sad news for manual transmission fans: the manual transmission option is gone. 😢

MORE ABOUT THE 2024 SUBARU CROSSTREK

VW is showing off its updated pair of large Tennessee-built utility vehicles, the three-row Atlas and two-row Atlas Cross Sport. Both games lose power to the V6, but see a four-cylinder engine of roughly the same power take its place as the only available power unit.

The three-row Highlander doesn't exactly reward rear-seat passengers with plenty of room to stretch out. Nor the stuff crammed into your cargo. But the Grand Highlander unveiled in Chicago corrects both with the addition of cubic feet of volume. Exactly how many cubic feet and how Toyota engineers achieved it remains to be seen, but either way, large families should rejoice.

MORE ABOUT THE 2024 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER

Hyundai used the Chicago show to unveil plans for its new electric vehicle subscription service, dubbed Evolve+. Seeking how to encourage EV adoption, the service allows subscribers to conduct aelectric konaor Ioniq 5 for 1,000 miles per month (28 days) at a cost comparable to monthly financing or lease payments.

We have no idea how the Korean automaker thinks it will succeed with its subscription service where all previous automakers have failed, but that's not to say we aren't very curious to see how it fares. Good luck Hyundai!

MORE ABOUT THE HYUNDAI EVOLVE+