The 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show is a wrap \u2014 for press, anyway. That means it\u2019s time to recap the big launches, strange details, cars on display and peculiar absences we noticed this year.<\/p>\n
The highlights include the SUV that\u2019ll make or break Lucid, Amazon\u2019s auto fixation, a pickup that calls Tesla\u2019s Cybertruck to mind and a rocket-powered Pontiac Fiero that two gearheads somehow launched into orbit (not really<\/a>).<\/p>\n The LA Auto Show floor was\u00a0 subdued this year, thanks at least in part to the absence of Stellantis, which owns Fiat, Jeep, Chrysler and a host of other brands. As I typed this, while plopped against a wall on the convention center floor, a passerby remarked unconvincingly that the day\u2019s turnout was \u201cstill pretty decent.\u201d The comment seemed to capture the auto industry\u2019s shift towards standalone and online events, and how the trend has left auto shows in search of ways to pad its halls. And yet, there\u2019s still plenty to chew on this year, so let\u2019s dig in.<\/p>\n Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson and head designer Derek Jenkins sit in the frunk of a the new Lucid Gravity. Image Credits: Harri Weber for TechCrunch.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Lucid had the biggest story of the show, as far as EVs go.<\/p>\n The company debuted its somewhat low-slung yet spacious Gravity SUV<\/a>, boasting a \u201cprojected range\u201d of 440 miles and a price tag around $80,000.<\/p>\n It certainly looks like a luxury SUV, but I can\u2019t speak to how it feels; Lucid, regrettably, would not let me sit in the frunk. CEO Peter Rawlinson remarked during his presentation that a Lucid is more attainable than you might think. (As I put off repairing the bent wheel of my roughly $10,000 used Smart ForTwo (2013), I reflexively wonder, \u201cwhat planet is this man living on?\u201d)\u00a0<\/p>\n Image credits: Allen J. Schaben \/ Los Angeles Times via Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A previously under-the-radar company called Aitekx<\/a> debuted its RoboTruck at a small booth by the auto show\u2019s west hall.<\/p>\n You tell me \u2014 does this look like a Tesla to you? When I asked someone at the booth if the vehicle was inspired by the Cybertruck, he responded with a firm \u201cno.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n A fictional rocket-powered Fiero from the Fast and Furious franchise. Image Credits:<\/strong> Harri Weber for TechCrunch<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Some of the more memorable vehicles at the show were simply works of fiction. A Fast and Furious exhibit showed off several vehicles from the long-running franchise, including an orbital Fiero and Vin Diesel\u2019s Charger, both of which appeared in F9: The Fast Saga<\/em>.<\/p>\n Vin Diesel\u2019s Charger. Image Credits:<\/strong> Harri Weber for TechCrunch<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The films aren\u2019t about realism. They\u2019re about cars. And family.<\/p>\n Image Credits:<\/strong> Screenshot\/Kirsten Korosec<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Another highlight of the show was Hyundai\u2019s tie-up with Amazon<\/a>.<\/p>\n The online retailer said it\u2019ll start selling Hyundai vehicles in its U.S. store during the latter half of next year, adding that other brands will follow. It\u2019s not exactly a surprising move, seeing as the e-commerce giant already sells basically everything, including full-blown prefabricated homes.<\/p>\n A combustion-engine Subaru Forester. Image Credits: Harri Weber for TechCrunch.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I wondered this myself going into the show, and to be clear: The spotlight\u2019s still on electrification.<\/p>\n Virtually every automaker in attendance had a hybrid or all-electric vehicle on display \u2014 Chevrolet illuminated the letters \u201cev\u201d in its logo to bluntly drive home this point. (Like, OK Chevy, we get it.) And yet, during Subaru\u2019s and Hyundai\u2019s presentations, the battery-electric vehicles seemed to take the backseat. Their presentations devoted more attention to gas-guzzlers and hybrids. In doing so, they reflect an industry that acknowledges the internal combustion engine\u2019s fate, yet still depends on them for profitability.<\/p>\n A sea foam-green Kia concept EV. Image Credits: Harri Weber for TechCrunch.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Beyond electrification, other important environmental considerations \u2014 such as building with recycled materials and powering factories with renewable energy \u2014 didn\u2019t seem top of mind during the presentations. Last year, Fiat showcased some one-off vehicles that featured recycled gold and reclaimed sea trash<\/a>. The move seemed more about the spectacle of it all, but at least it meant that \u201crecycled materials\u201d came up on stage.<\/p>\n This year, as Subaru of America President Jeff Walters exited the stage, TechCrunch asked if he could speak to any environmental or sustainability considerations the company might\u2019ve made, such as the use of recycled materials, with the new Forester. \u201cNot off the top of my head,\u201d he replied.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lucid didn\u2019t say as much onstage, but offstage Lucid design boss Derek Jenkins told TechCrunch that the automaker incorporated leather alternatives, burl wood and recycled yarn in the interior of its SUV. Jenkins also highlighted that renewables make up a portion of the energy that powers its production facility.<\/p>\n In contrast, Kia stood out this year when it came to sustainability talking points. The company showed off two concept EVs, and said they featured a mushroom-based leather alternative, hemp fibers, recycled fabrics, natural dyes and bio-plastics. However, take this with a grain of salt \u2014 these aren\u2019t production vehicles.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nLucid Gravity: handsome and high priced<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t call it a Cybertruck<\/h2>\n
![\"AITEKX's](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/GettyImages-1787102826.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFictitious<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/fast5.jpeg?w=680\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/fast2.jpeg?w=680\")
<\/p>\nAmazon\u2019s auto fixation<\/h2>\n
![\"amazon](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Screenshot-2023-11-16-at-11.15.31-AM.png\")
<\/p>\nDid the spotlight dim on EVs?<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/subaru3.jpeg?w=680\")
<\/p>\nBeyond Electrification\u00a0<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/kia4.jpeg?w=680\")
<\/p>\n