Updated 2/22/2021 2:40 PM
It doesn't feel like February without the swagger, tire-kicking and glitz of the Chicago Auto Show. The COVID-19 pandemic has swallowed the annual event, although organizers hope for a reset later this year.
But that won't stop our annual preview of hot cars and auto trends.
One major gear shift "is the new spate of electric vehicles coming out in 2021," Consumer Guide Automotive Publisher Tom Appel said. "They're very mainstream, mid-price, approachable vehicles. Unlike other electric vehicles before them, there are fewer compromises."
Although electric vehicles comprise less than 10% of new cars sold in the U.S., "I think we are, right now, sitting on the precipice of electric acceptance," said Appel, a Palatine resident. "There are more electric vehicles than customers (currently). That's not going to last very long."