33 min
#208, 2021 LA Auto Show debrief, hydrogen woes, new RV The Weekly Driver Podcast
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- Automotive
After a 10-day public run and a two-day media preview, the LA Auto Show ended Nov. 28. It was the industry's first major show since the beginning of the Covid-1 pandemic. The Weekly Driver Podcast was on site to take in the sights and sounds.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I drove from Sacramento to Los Angeles round-trip in a 2020 Hyundai Nexo. Despite being two years old, the hydrogen-propelled SUV had been driven only about 1,500 miles. We added another 900 miles, give or take a few miles.
The LA Auto Show this year showcased many concept cars. All images © Bruce Aldrich/2021
In this episode of the podcast, we review the highlights and lowlights of the show. We discuss our experiences in the Nexo. And we abruptly switch topics in the second half of the episode to discuss the experience Bruce and his wife Alene had in the maiden voyage in their new Ford F-250 pickup truck and its fifth wheel companion, a Keystone Cougar recreational vehicle.
LA Auto Show: Hydrogen Horrors
To close the podcast, Bruce also reviews his experience with Alene attending a parade in nearby Elk Grove to celebrate the NASCAR national championship of Kyle Larsen. He was raised in the community and it recently honored his accomplishment with an old-style, downtown parade.
As co-hosts of the podcast for more than four years, Bruce and I share similar opinions about most automotive topics. We agreed the LA Auto Show's major emphasis was on the future of electric cars and trucks. Our observations meshed also in the low-key atmosphere of this year's show as well as thoughts on the always-speculative nature of concept vehicles.
LA Auto Show: RVs and Concepts
One exception to our often like-minded automotive opinions: Bruce thought our experience driving a hydrogen vehicle proved the idea has major issues and is unlikely to succeed. I still maintain hydrogen has a future in the automotive market despite its drawbacks. We had our share of difficulties refueling.
VinVast, the first Vietnamese carmaker set to distribute vehicles in the United States, showcased it pending offerings at the LA Auto Show.
Please join us for another varied episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Please also consider supporting our efforts by buying us a cup of coffee. Click on the cup of coffee icon and choose an amount, a one-time donation or a monthly contribution.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.
After a 10-day public run and a two-day media preview, the LA Auto Show ended Nov. 28. It was the industry's first major show since the beginning of the Covid-1 pandemic. The Weekly Driver Podcast was on site to take in the sights and sounds.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I drove from Sacramento to Los Angeles round-trip in a 2020 Hyundai Nexo. Despite being two years old, the hydrogen-propelled SUV had been driven only about 1,500 miles. We added another 900 miles, give or take a few miles.
The LA Auto Show this year showcased many concept cars. All images © Bruce Aldrich/2021
In this episode of the podcast, we review the highlights and lowlights of the show. We discuss our experiences in the Nexo. And we abruptly switch topics in the second half of the episode to discuss the experience Bruce and his wife Alene had in the maiden voyage in their new Ford F-250 pickup truck and its fifth wheel companion, a Keystone Cougar recreational vehicle.
LA Auto Show: Hydrogen Horrors
To close the podcast, Bruce also reviews his experience with Alene attending a parade in nearby Elk Grove to celebrate the NASCAR national championship of Kyle Larsen. He was raised in the community and it recently honored his accomplishment with an old-style, downtown parade.
As co-hosts of the podcast for more than four years, Bruce and I share similar opinions about most automotive topics. We agreed the LA Auto Show's major emphasis was on the future of electric cars and trucks. Our observations meshed also in the low-key atmosphere of this year's show as well as thoughts on the always-speculative nature of concept vehicles.
LA Auto Show: RVs and Concepts
One exception to our often like-minded automotive opinions: Bruce thought our experience driving a hydrogen vehicle proved the idea has major issues and is unlikely to succeed. I still maintain hydrogen has a future in the automotive market despite its drawbacks. We had our share of difficulties refueling.
VinVast, the first Vietnamese carmaker set to distribute vehicles in the United States, showcased it pending offerings at the LA Auto Show.
Please join us for another varied episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Please also consider supporting our efforts by buying us a cup of coffee. Click on the cup of coffee icon and choose an amount, a one-time donation or a monthly contribution.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.
33 min