The Vancouver International Auto Show has officially removed Tesla from its exhibitor lineup. Despite the company wanted to remain at the show, they will be forced to remove their booth and display that was already set up in preparation for the auto show to begin on Wednesday.
Tesla’s participation in the show was thrown into question on Tuesday when event organizers confirmed they were “in discussions” with the automaker regarding its involvement. The uncertainty stemmed from a series of protests, most notably the “Tesla Takedown” demonstrations held in Vancouver and Surrey over the weekend, where activists voiced their opposition to CEO Elon Musk.
Jen Gagnon, one of the protest organizers, made her stance clear, stating, “Bottom line, I want them to take it out.”
In a statement provided to Drive Tesla, Eric Nicholl, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Auto Show confirmed late on Tuesday that despite Tesla’s willingness to remain at the event, they ultimately decided to remove the company and its display from the show, citing safety concerns as the primary reason.
“The Vancouver International Auto Show has removed Tesla as a participant in this week’s event, after the automaker was provided multiple opportunities to voluntarily withdraw. The Vancouver Auto Show’s primary concern is the safety of attendees, exhibitors, and staff. This decision will ensure all attendees can be solely focused on enjoying the many positive elements of the event,” Nicholl said.
We have followed up with organizers to see if customers who have already purchased tickets for the show will be able to get refunds. We will update this article when we receive a response.
If Tesla had been allowed to stay, show attendees would have been able to get their first look at the Cybercab, which made its Canadian debut at the Canadian International Auto Show last month in Toronto, along with the new Model Y and Model 3.
