Electricity was in the air.

“This year marks our 23rd year. We’ve been trying to have the 23rd year for three years now,” joked Keith Muir, Chair, 2022 Lehigh Valley Auto Show.

The occasion was a press conference at Stabler Arena to preview the 2022 Lehigh Valley Auto Show, March 16-20, Lehigh University Goodman Campus, Bethlehem.

The electricity wasn’t only because of the enthusiasm for an in-person auto show for the first time since 2019, but also because of the show’s theme, “Leading the Charge: Find out what’s electrifying the auto industry.”

The 2022 auto show will have some changes, intended to reduce crowding and improve crowd flow:

- The show will be five days, up from four days, with extended hours, 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. March 16; 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. March 17, 18 and 19, and 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. March 20. Parking is again free.

- Ticket sales are online only. There is no physical ticket. Cash is not accepted. The Lehigh University ticket office is not open. Children age five and under are admitted free. Tickets: www.glvada.org

- There is one entrance to the Stabler show floor, on the right, and one exit, on the left.

- There are three venues: Stabler Athletic and Convocation Center, Rauch Fieldhouse and Goodman Hall, an outdoor tent. In previous years, there were two tents.

- The Wednesday evening fundraising gala is not being held to accommodate more people safely for regular ticket sales.

- In accordance with Lehigh University safety guidelines, as of the deadline for this article, face masks must be worn by auto show attendees.

At the press conference, Muir outlined changes not only for the 2022 show, but to the auto industry in the years since the previous LV Auto Show.

Muir said there’s a shift in EVs (Electric Vehicles) from sedans to SUVs and pickup trucks.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Ford Motor Company plans to increase its production of F-150 Lightning pickup trucks from 80,000 to 150,000 annually at its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, Dearborn, Mich. Ford capped reservations for the Lighting at 200,000 in December 2021, the Free Press reported.

Ford increased production of its all-electric Mustang Mach-E with a goal of 200,000 vehicles annually by 2023, the Free Press reported.

General Motors has introduced an all-electric Chevrolet Silverado.

On display at the Feb. 22 press conference in Stabler was a 2022 Mercedes Benz EQS electric vehicle, provided by Mercedes Benz of the Lehigh Valley. The EQS, a four-door sedan powered by a lithium-ion battery, debuted at dealerships in late 2021.

Another electric vehicle on display was a 2022 Volvo C 40 Recharge, a compact SUV, from Scott Volvo, also available.

The Mercedes EQS and the Volvo Recharge are expected to be among 125,000-square-feet of new cars, trucks, SUVs, crossovers, vans and cycles at the LV Auto Show.

Also parked at the press conference: 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce from Brown-Daub Fiat Alfa Romeo; 2022 Audi S 7 from Audi Allentown; 2022 Lincoln Aviator from Haldeman Ford Lincoln; 2022 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible 3LT with Z71 Performance Package from Faulkner Chevrolet Cadillac, and 2021 Porsche Taycan from Porsche of the Lehigh Valley.

Muir credited the region’s auto dealers with making the 2022 show possible.

“Our show has always had a mix of manufacturer- and dealer-provided displays. This year, our dealers are pitching in even more and are providing inventory so that this show will be the kind of experience you are used to having,” said Muir.

“This is a buyer’s show to assist our customers locally in gaining first-hand knowledge of the latest products on the market today. In a fun and no-pressure atmosphere, attendees can compare and contrast different makes and models,” Muir said.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shut down the LV auto show for two years, along with most auto shows nationwide.

“The 2022 auto show. It’s good to say that,” Tom Kwiatek, Executive Director, Greater Lehigh Valley Auto Dealers Association, said at the press conference.

“It’s been frustrating to have the show yanked out from you,” Kwiatek said, reflecting on the canceled 2021 and 2020 LV auto shows. “It’s nobody’s fault. It’s the pandemic. We didn’t know what to expect.

”All the dealers got together and said, ‘We need to be at this show.’ It really is the dealers who have come together [to make the 2022 LV auto show happen],” said Kwiatek. “We’re looking forward to a great year.”

Kwiatek mentioned LV auto show highlights, including an electrification station to promote electric vehicles and help patrons understand charging operations and units.

The State of Pennsylvania will exhibit its plans for charging stations along state highways.

Other exhibitors include contractors and information on home-charging options.

A ride and drive program will be held in the parking lot in front of Rauch Fieldhouse, featuring Audi and several other manufacturers, to give attendees an opportunity to drive electric vehicles.

Audi has 2022 e-tron GT sports cars and SUV lines.

“Audi wants you to see how powerful their Audi is and how quiet it is,” said Kwiatek.

The Greater Lehigh Valley Auto Dealers Association, founded in 1998, is made up of 63 new car franchised dealers responsible for 6,370 jobs, with a combined annual payroll of more than $390 million, according to the 2018 Automotive Industry Economic Impact Study prepared by Auto Outlook, Inc.

Volunteers are needed to staff the 2022 LV auto show. Volunteers will have four-hour shifts and receive a free T-Shirt.

To volunteer, contact Tom Kwiatek: tkwiatek@ptd.net; 610-758-9691.

2022 Lehigh Auto Show information: www.glvada.org