CHICAGO—Despite all the threats and policy changes coming out of Washington these days, electric vehicles aren’t going anyway. If anything, battery power is here to stay and will become even more prominent on the roads and highways of America, from Puget Sound to the Gulf of Mexico.

A good bellwether of consumer sentiment is the annual Chicago Auto Show, which just wrapped up its 10-day run at McCormick Place.  The oldest and largest event of its type in the United States was filled with EVs and plenty of battery buzz, including two test tracks devoted exclusively to more than 20 models of electric cars.

New vehicles on display included the Jeep Wagoneer S and the Dodge Daytona Charger, the first all-electric models offered by those Stellantis brands.  And, speaking of that company, it’s celebrating the 100th anniversary of Chrysler this year (watch for a special article in ASSEMBLY's November issue) with a stunning concept car called the Halcyon, an electric luxury sedan powered by an 800-volt lithium-sulfur battery.

Then, there was Rivian, which displayed next-generation battery-powered SUVs in Chicago, such as the R2 and the R3X.  Other start-up EV companies attracting plenty of attention on the show floor included Lucid, Polestar, Tesla and Vinfast.