All Iowa Auto Show to be held Friday, Saturday, Sunday at Iowa Events Center

Philip Joens, Des Moines Register
·2 min read
The Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck. Ford began selling the electric version of its top-selling truck last year.
The Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck. Ford began selling the electric version of its top-selling truck last year.

Electric vehicles will get the spotlight this weekend at the All Iowa Auto Show.

The event, held by Local IQ, a division of the Des Moines Register’s parent company, Gannett Co., will be held at Hy-Vee Hall at the Iowa Events Center on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. More than a dozen manufacturers will show off their latest vehicles and offer test drives of some models.

The show is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free.

Electric vehicles will be highlighted this year during the Electric Vehicle Summit from 3 to 4 p.m. Friday and noon to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

There are now about 10,000 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in Iowa, said Abbie Christopherson, a program manager with the State of Iowa Energy Office at the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and then number is increasing quickly. Doug DeYarman, who owns a Ford dealership in Indianola, said the company's electric cars are selling as fast as dealerships get them.

Christopherson and speakers from the Iowa Department of Transportation will appear at the summit to talk about resources for EV owners and ways the state is trying to build its vehicle charging infrastructure.

Cars load into Hy-Vee Hall for the 2020 All Iowa Auto Show.
Cars load into Hy-Vee Hall for the 2020 All Iowa Auto Show.

Speakers from the Iowa Department of Transportation, Iowa Economic Development and EV groups also will be on hand to chat with EV owners.

All Iowa Auto Show

When: March 10-12.

Times: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 10 and 11, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. March 12.

Where: Iowa Events Center Hy-Vee Hall, 730 Third St., Des Moines.

Admission: Free, courtesy of Premier Chevy Dealers.

Family Day: Sunday, there will be family activities for all ages including a mini remote control car racetrack from noon to 5 p.m., an animal presentation from Blank Park Zoo from 1 to 1:30 p.m., Iowa Cubs mascot Cubbie Bear from 3 to 4 p.m. The Indianapolis 500 Pace Car also will be on hand.

Philip Joens covers retail, real estate and RAGBRAI for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184, pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: All Iowa Auto Show to highlight electric vehicles in Iowa this weekend