It wouldn't be much of a stretch to call this year's New York International Auto Show"electrifying," not when you consider that more than 40 vehicles using some form of electric power are on display at the Jacob Javits convention center.
It's been 20 years since Toyota launched the Prius and Honda debuted the Insight, the first two mass-market hybrid vehicles. And it's coming up on a decade since the first plug-based models, the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, or PHEV, and the Nissan Leaf battery-electric vehicle, or BEV, hit showrooms.
Things began to change mid-decade with the launch of the Tesla Model S, the first serious entry to extend range to more than 200 miles per charge. The California electric car maker also began rolling out a network of fast"Supercharger" stations across Canada and the U.S., making it possible to travel extended distances for the first time, without extensive delays.
While cars are the stars at the New York show, visitors who peek around the corner at the Audi stand will see another very important debut. Electrify America is showing off a next-generation Level 3 charger that punches out seven times more power than original fast-charge systems, at a full 350 kilowatts. While not all BEVs will be able to drink down power that rapidly, Porsche's first all-electric model, the Taycan, will be ready.
Tesla is not worried!