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

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

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.

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.

The Canadian Press