Once organizers addressed the “elephant in the room” — why Tesla was removed from the Vancouver International Auto Show — the media preview day for the 101st edition of the event kicked off with about 80 reporters on hand getting a sneak preview of the show before it opened to the public.
A day earlier, show organizers held an impromptu press conference to announce that, due to safety and security concerns, Tesla was told they couldn’t take part. Before the media tour, Eric Nicholl, the Executive Director of the show, read the previous statement about Tesla, and then provided further comments.
He said planning for the event began last spring and contractual obligations with OEMs had been locked in for several months. “However, as we approached opening day, it became clear that the discussions were required to address what appeared to be an escalating situation and we’re pleased with the outcome. We believe it was the right decision,” said Nicholl.
Protests targeting Tesla have been cropping up in various locations around the world, including several in the Vancouver area in the days leading up to the show. Organizers didn’t want to risk being a focal point that would disrupt attendees or exhibitors.
Nicholl then pivoted to discuss the purpose of the show, which is to generate excitement for the driving and ownership experience of a vehicle. “We plan all year for five days and bring together the greatest display of manufacturers and features and experiential elements that we can provide to the consumers, all based on the automotive lifestyle and the many areas that it impacts,” he said.
In his opening remarks, Blair Qualey, President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC (NCDA), who own and operate the show, welcomed the media to the kickoff event. Qualey said the association was excited to host an event where people can reflect on “what is vintage, what’s new, and what’s next.”
He said this year’s show was showcasing 200 vehicles from 30 brands featuring the latest models from OEMs, concept vehicles and technology classics. “We will showcase luxury, supercars, exotics, high-powered classics, and everything in between. As always, we are fortunate that electric vehicles continue to play a significant role here at the Vancouver show,” adding that the event featured a record number of EVs and clean energy vehicles.
The show is the best-attended consumer show in Western Canada, and last year’s event broke attendance records with more than 129,000 people attending.
The media preview day also included some other high profile press events, including a joint statement by three leading auto groups that called on the province to pause and revisit their aggressive EV mandates.
The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), the Canadian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association (CVMA) and the Global Automakers of Canada (GAC) held their press event and issued a statement just prior to the media tour kicking off.
“If B.C. wants to remain at the forefront of the transition towards zero-emission vehicles, it must adjust, update and recalibrate its original plans to take into account the changed market realities,” said CADA President and CEO Tim Reuss to reporters at the show.
In their press release, the auto groups cited a new forecast from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants that found B.C.’s target of 90 per cent ZEV sales by 2030 is not achievable.
The event also featured the three winners of the 2025 AJAC Innovation Awards presented by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).
AJAC’s winner in the Best Green Innovation Award was the Lucid Air Pure electric powertrain. “Lucid has developed its own powertrain technology to better integrate elements like the motor and battery, creating the most efficient EV on sale in Canada. Efficient powertrains enable lighter vehicles and greater range from a given amount of energy, while still delivering the performance that buyers expect,” said Graham Heeps, AJAC’s Innovation Awards Chair.
The winner of AJAC’s Best Safety Innovation award was BMW Digital Key Plus. “Its use of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology offers an innovative way to combat car theft. The two-way communication between the vehicle and the ‘key’ in the phone prevents the ‘relay’ attacks that have become commonplace, whereby a criminal captures signals from keys in a house and rebroadcasts them to steal the car,” said Heeps.
The winner of AJAC’s Best Technical Innovation award was the Mazda Large Platform MHEV (mild-hybrid) Powertrains, which underpin the brand’s latest pair of crossover SUVs: CX-70 and CX-90. “Mazda’s combination of turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engines, 48-volt mild-hybrid system and newly designed 8-speed transmission boosts efficiency, improves acceleration from rest, sharpens the driving dynamics and enlarges the front crush zone,” said Heeps.
The first day concluded with a well-attended VIP night gala.
