The Washington, DC Auto Show is one of the largest and prestigious automotive exhibitions in the United States. Known as “The Public Policy Show” on the auto show circuit, The Washington, DC Auto Show features over 400,000 square feet of exhibits, frequent visits from elected officials, and the show’s annual Public Policy Day which becomes the epicenter of the automotive policy landscape every January. Additionally, The Washington, DC Auto Show hosts the Society of Automotive Engineers’ (SAE) annual Government & Industry Meeting, as well as the General Service Administration’s (GSA) annual FedFleet Conference. FedFleet is the only location in the world where US government authorized fleet buyers and managers can travel for training, education and to review the latest product.

The Washington, DC Auto Show has hosted luminaries such as President Obama and then-Vice President Biden. In 2023, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi visited the show as part of their research of EV tax credit eligibility. Nick Conger, the Senior Advisor in the White House’s Climate Policy Office stated that “Year after year, we can count on the Washington, DC Auto Show for automotive technology education.” Indeed, many plans that affect the future of the global automotive industry are hatched on the floor of the DC Auto Show.

In addition to being the Public Policy Show, Washington, DC boasts one of the largest and most robust consumer markets in the United States. The Baltimore-Washington Combined Statistical Area (CSA) is the fourth largest in the country and is its most educated and affluent. 7 of the 10 wealthiest counties in the U.S. are in the Washington region. As such, the attendees of the Washington, DC Auto Show tend to be early adopters of burgeoning technology, including electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. For these reasons and many more, The Washington, DC Auto Show is the largest annual indoor event in Washington, DC and a premier automotive exhibition of any kind globally.