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Columbus, Ohio’s Smart City Initiative Shows Off EVs at Auto Show

Smart Columbus, one of the organizations behind the city’s innovative work, took up a significant amount of space during this year’s Columbus International Auto Show with a selection of alternative fuel transportation options.

(TNS) — An auto show is not a place a gearhead expects to meet a bicycle — and like it.

But that is what happened to Brett Saultz, 18, of Obetz, at the Columbus International Auto Show. His experience shows how the show has changed this year with a major addition from Smart Columbus, allowing visitors to test drive electric cars and electric bicycles.

"I was doing some wheelies, so that was fun," Saultz said about his time on a Trek electric bike.

Minutes after his drive, he was calculating how the bike's electronic assist could help shave time off a commute he might otherwise do with pedal power alone.

Smart Columbus is the organization that oversee the city's work on the federal Smart Cities initiative, which uses government money and private financing to back programs encouraging use of new transportation technologies.

This is Smart Columbus' first year with a major floor presence at the auto show, taking up about 10 percent of the 373,000-square-foot space. Much of the exhibit is interactive, including test drives of a rotating selection of vehicles. (Drivers interested in doing so are asked to sign up in advance at https://smartcbus.com/autoshow/.)

"We're trying to educate Columbus about electric vehicles and the growing sharing economy we have here," said Jordan Davis, director of Smart Columbus.

The show also attracts fans of conventional vehicles and folks interested in looking at what's out there to buy.

Levi Butts, 74, was in town for a church convention and decided to stop by the show. He drives a 2008 Toyota Avalon that has 307,000 miles on it. He says his mechanic is suggesting it's time to get a new car.

"I'm somewhat heavily leaning toward the Toyota but my wife drives a Honda, and Hondas look good," he said.

At the moment, he was standing in the Honda section, so the brand has at least a fighting chance whenever he decides to buy.

Other features of the show include a number of additions and changes:

  • Organizers have set up a children's area, including an indoor track with motorized toy vehicles.
  • The displays of luxury cars have been expanded, and all luxury brands are now next to each other on the north end of the floor.
  • Honda vehicles are available for test drives that leave from the show floor and follow a route outside. Honda is joining several brands that are returning to offer test drives, including Subaru and Toyota.
The annual show is sponsored by the Columbus Automobile Dealers Association and takes place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Many local dealers are offering sales promotions tied to the show.

©2018 The Columbus Dispatch (Columbus, Ohio) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.