The Chicago Auto Show returns to McCormick Place Convention Center on Saturday, with a record number of electric vehicle manufacturers, including the debut of Tesla and Lucid Motors, stepping into the spotlight amid the loss of a mainstay automaker.
The 10-day event, which organizers tout as the largest auto show in the country at 750,000 square feet, will feature almost 1,000 vehicles and hundreds of thousands of square feet of test-driving tracks.
Electric vehicles will be in the spotlight this year. With nine electric vehicle manufacturers set to attend, the show will feature not just opportunities to purchase these cars, but also information for potential buyers unfamiliar with electric cars.
This will be the first year at the auto show for brands including Tesla and Lucid Motors. In addition to Models X and Y, Tesla will be showing the Model 3, which has been redesigned for 2024, featuring a sleeker look and fresher cabin with an 8-inch screen in the rear. Rivian was also supposed to make their Chicago Auto Show debut this year, but dropped out last minute due to complications, a Chicago Automobile Trade Association representative said.
“For a lot of these car companies, it’s their first auto show, so it’ll be interesting to see how they do compared to the others,” said Mark Bilek, Chicago Automobile Trade Association’s senior director of project management, membership and technology.
“The cars are the stars of the show, and there’s lots of cool, new and exciting cars here,” Bilek said. These include the Cadillac Escalade IQ, a full-size electric vehicle, a new model of the Ford Bronco Raptor and new developments on the Toyota 4Runner. “It’s very interactive and a really great opportunity to escape the dreary weather here in February.”
After temperatures soar into the 50s on Thursday and Friday, nearing record temps, winter returns as temperatures drop back to a more seasonable 30s and 40s with a few days of gray skies.
This year’s exhibition will feature three indoor test tracks, three outdoor “ride-and-drives” and nine electric vehicle manufacturers on the Chicago Drives Electric test track — but nothing from Stellantis, the manufacturer behind brands including Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo and Fiat.
It’s been over a month since Stellantis pulled out of the show. The company cited “the impact of a challenging U.S. automotive market,” removing themselves from North American auto shows for a while to cut costs.
Fans disappointed about the loss of the Camp Jeep test track can look forward to test tracks by other manufacturers this year — the Bronco track’s hills should provide a comparable thrill, Bilek said.
Other highlights include Honda’s Motocompacto, a portable electric scooter, and a slate of supercars from luxury brands.
The auto show will feature a number of special days that include unique attractions and discounts. These include:
- Media Preview: Thursday and Friday, Feb. 8 - 9
- First Look For Charity: Friday, Feb. 9 (7-11 p.m. black tie)
- Toyota Miles Per Hour Run: Sunday, Feb. 11
- Game Day at the Chicago Auto Show: Sunday, Feb. 11
- Automotive Career Day: Tuesday, Feb. 13
- First Responders/Military Appreciation Day: Wednesday, Feb. 14
- Chicago Auto Show Food Drive: Wednesday Feb. 14 through Friday, Feb. 16
- Friday Night Flights Craft Beer Tasting: Friday, Feb. 16
- Daily Herald Family Day: Monday, Feb. 19
How to get to the Chicago Auto Show
CTA and Metra have expanded public transportation access to McCormick Place.
Metra trains will make extra stops at the McCormick Place Station during the exhibition. An auto show shuttle bus will also run from select stations (Union, LaSalle and Ogilvie) to McCormick Place.
Other options include the Green Line, whose Cermak-McCormick Place station is walking distance from the convention center, as well as CTA buses on the #3 King Drive and #21 Cermak routes. Signage will be put in place to direct passengers to the show.
Secretary of State will offer services at the Chicago Auto Show
In need of a REAL ID but don’t want to wait at the DMV? Head to the Secretary of State booth, where their office will offer driver, business and archive services.
“With the deadline for REAL IDs approaching next year, the auto show presents a convenient opportunity for visitors to beat the rush and apply for a REAL ID,” Secretary Alexi Giannoulias said in a news release.
In addition to applying for a REAL ID, which will be required for domestic travel after May 7, 2025, visitors can apply for a new driver’s license, state ID or renew those forms of identification. Visitors can also apply for a new license plate or join the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donation Registry.
Visitors hoping to start a business, file paperwork or look into an existing business can visit the office’s Business Services team, which will be in attendance for the first time. Additionally, the Archives Department will conduct free genealogy searches. The booth will offer a distracted/impaired driving simulator, aimed to promote safe driving practices.
The booth will be open 10 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. each day of the auto show other than Feb. 11, when it will close at 5:30 p.m., and Feb. 19, when it will close at 7:45 p.m.
Visitors are encouraged to visit the Secretary of State’s website to determine what documents they need for specific services.
Correction: This story has been updated to say that Rivian has dropped out of the Chicago Auto Show.
