Sacramento,
California -- A new decade arrives in just a few hours, and in the auto
industry and motor sports, the next 10 years likely will be highlighted by
enormous changes.
By the close of
2029, I expect that fewer than half the motor vehicles on U.S. roadways will
have traditional internal-combustion engines.
In populous states, electric vehicle charging stations will be as
commonplace as convenience stores are now.
And self-driving vehicles will be rolling in numbers in densely populated
urban centers.
Many see this
as progress. Other don't. But trust me, it's coming.
There will be
plenty of developments in 2020 alone.
For starters,
it will be interesting to see if domestic new-car sales taper off. Experts have been shouting this prediction from
the rooftops for more than a year, but strong sales have been hanging in there
due to the popularity of crossover sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks.
I have to
wonder how long sport-ute/pickup sales can continue to stay hot, given the
relatively high costs associated with these vehicles. In just my auto-testing outings, it seems
like every truck/crossover SUV I receive is priced in the $40,000 to $60,000
range. That's a major investment.
Yet the stock
market and the economy continue to hum along, seemingly producing enough U.S.
consumer confidence to keep dollars flowing at the dealerships. Even so, I expect things to cool off,
albeit moderately, in 2020.
There are
numerous new vehicles to look forward to ... none more anticipated than the
mid-engine 2020 Chevrolet Corvette.
Beautifully styled, horsepower heavy and getting rave reviews, the new
'Vette has already nailed down Motor Trend magazine's prestigious Car of the
Year award.
The coming
year will find more alternatively-powered hardware coming to market. Hybrid systems continue to evolve, as do
on-board batteries. Consumers who once
complained that they were avoiding electric vehicles due to limited range don't
have much reason to voice that complaint now.
Expect alternative-powered vehicle sales to rise in 2020, counter to the
overall trend, in my view.
In the auto
racing world, NASCAR and IndyCar ended 2019 on the upswing in the eyes of most
analysts. NASCAR has seen an infusion of
young, talented drivers who have been unafraid to challenge the established
stars. IndyCar remained incredibly
competitive, right down to the last race of the season. Happily, IndyCar's crown jewel, the
Indianapolis 500, has showcased the best of the racing series, with yet another
breathtaking finish in 2019. The grand
old race was bolstered by a strong debut of network coverage from NBC.
While there is
no doubt that Lewis Hamilton established himself as one of the all-time greats
with his sixth Formula One world championship in 2019, the open-wheel series
needs to become more competitive. My
guess is that many American racing fans watch the start of Formula One races
and then drift off when the second-lap leader runs away with it from
there. Two or three cars dicing for the lead at the
finish of a Formula One race is a rarity ... and exactly what the
globe-trotting series needs.
Well, I can't
wait to get started on a new year. As always, thanks for dropping in to
read. Here's wishing all of you a safe,
happy and prosperous 2020. I'll be
seeing you up the road.
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