{"id":33736,"date":"2024-11-25T14:35:25","date_gmt":"2024-11-25T18:35:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=33736"},"modified":"2024-11-25T14:35:25","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T18:35:25","slug":"payne-nacs-evs-and-vw-the-latest-in-la-auto-show-fashion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/payne-nacs-evs-and-vw-the-latest-in-la-auto-show-fashion","title":{"rendered":"Payne: NACS, EVs and VW \u2014 the latest in LA Auto Show fashion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Los Angeles \u2014<\/em>\u00a0Hyundai got NACS, VW returned to affordability, and Cadillac\u2019s gone EV.<\/p>\n

New car reveals were few at the 2024 LA Auto Show, but those few said a lot about industry trends. Automakers are facing a complicated landscape of rapidly-changing tech, government regulation and softening consumer demand as vehicles prices have escalated.<\/p>\n

California is at the center of industry turmoil as host to the electronics revolution, aggressive emissions mandates and the biggest U.S. auto market. It offers opportunities for brands as diverse as Hyundai, Volkswagen and Cadillac, say industry insiders.<\/p>\n

\u201cAutomakers are pushing the envelope with electric vehicles. It\u2019s a chance to redefine themselves,\u201d said Jessia Caldwell, head of insights for Edmunds. \u201cThey are putting themselves on the map where they haven\u2019t been before.\u201d<\/p>\n

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2024 LA Auto Show: Hyundai Ioniq 9 unveiling at the famed Goldstein Residence in Beverly Hills overlooking LA. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Hyundai Motor Co. and its luxury arm, Genesis, have committed themselves to following Tesla Inc. \u2014 and its trillion-dollar market cap \u2014 into an electric future. Tesla has a small presence on the LA Convention Center floor this year but an outsize influence on the industry.<\/p>\n

Key to the Texas automaker\u2019s dominance of the U.S. EV market (over 55% of California sales) is its network of\u00a0lightweight NACS (North American Charging Standard) Supercharger connectors, which industry competitors rejected for the European standard, the bulky CCS (Combined Charging System). After fighting Tesla and encouraging a national network for CCS fast chargers from Electrify America, EVGo and ChargePoint, the establishment has waved the white flag to the rebel.<\/p>\n

\"20242024 LA Auto Show: Tesla Cybertruck interior. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n
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New Hyundai and Genesis models (and those from sister Korean brand Kia) introduced in LA are equipped \u2014 not just with the latest screen and interior goodies \u2014 they also are the first production vehicles equipped with NACS charger ports so they can take advantage of Tesla\u2019s vast network. Want to charge on the antiquated CCS charger? Get a CCS adapter.<\/p>\n

That ease of use will also assist Hyundai in meeting draconian 2026 state mandates requiring that EVs make up 35% of sales. The three-row 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 SUV and compact 2026 Genesis GV70 Electrified models that debuted here are in two of the market\u2019s biggest volume segments.<\/p>\n

\u201cVehicles like these help with the EV transition by giving customers more options,\u201d said Caldwell. \u201cIf you get EVs into mainstream vehicles, it sets you up for the best sales gains.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"20242024 LA Auto Show: Hyundai CEO Jose Munoz with the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n
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EVs come at a price, however, with the Ioniq 9 and GV70 Electrified starting north of 60 grand. EVs are a driving force behind vehicle price inflation (average transaction costs hover around $50k), both for their window stickers and because automakers have to inflate gas-powered prices to subsidize EV development.<\/p>\n

Volkswagen, too, has strayed from its reputation for affordable cars by introducing pricey electrics like the $60k ID.Buzz. Its volume customer, however, is still a budget shopper.<\/p>\n

So while EVs aim to assuage green consumers\u2019 climate change crisis concerns, VW dropped an all-new gas-powered Tiguan to address the broader market\u2019s worries of an affordability crisis.<\/p>\n