Vancouver car show sets attendance records after Tesla ban, defying boycott calls

Advertisement

Advertise with us

VANCOUVER - Organizers of the Vancouver International Auto Show say the event broke attendance records after it attracted international headlines for banning Tesla on safety grounds.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Monthly Digital Subscription

$1 per week for 24 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

Monthly Digital Subscription

$4.99/week*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*Billed as $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

No thanks

*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/03/2025 (369 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER – Organizers of the Vancouver International Auto Show say the event broke attendance records after it attracted international headlines for banning Tesla on safety grounds.

Supporters of the electric car company and CEO Elon Musk had called for a boycott of the show, but organizers say it instead set a new five-day attendance record of more than 138,000. 

They say in a news release that Saturday’s attendance of more than 42,000 at the Vancouver Convention Centre also broke the one-day attendance record.

People attend a protest rally outside a Telsa dealership in Ottawa against CEO Elon Musk's political influence on Saturday, March 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
People attend a protest rally outside a Telsa dealership in Ottawa against CEO Elon Musk's political influence on Saturday, March 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

The show’s executive director, Eric Nicholl, said last week that Tesla was removed from participating out of concern for the safety of workers, attendees and exhibitors.

Tesla dealerships across Canada have been hit by a series of protests and vandalism as demonstrators object to Musk’s role in the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump.

Supporters of Musk and Tesla on social media had called for a boycott of the Vancouver car show after the brand’s exclusion.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 24, 2025.

Report Error Submit a Tip

Business

LOAD MORE