Ford, Jeep and Ram will bring back tracks for vehicles such as the Bronco and Wrangler, which last year drew big interest during the public show.
The new indoor EV track, called the Powering Michigan EV Experience, will allow showgoers the chance to be transported by a professional driver through a serpentine track that includes a 300-foot acceleration lane. When they exit the vehicle, they’ll get an educational overview of the charging process.
In addition to automaker displays, this year’s show will include space for about 150 technology startups as part of the AutoMobili-D showcase, sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
The Detroit show last year, the first since January 2019, struggled to attract the same level of support it had received before the pandemic. Fewer than half the usual number of journalists were credentialed, and show organizers never publicly revealed public attendance figures, which were believed to be down.
Ford’s reveal of the seventh-generation Mustang was among the few highlights, although attendees got to experience new features such as outdoor displays, a 61-foot inflatable duck and a handful of “air mobility innovators.” President Joe Biden helped draw some attention with a visit during the media preview.
Richard Truett, Urvaksh Karkaria, Carly Schaffner, Lindsay VanHulle, Vince Bond Jr., Omari Gardner, Hans Greimel and Laurence Iliff contributed to this report.