President Trump ignores tweet inviting him to attend The Washington Auto Show

The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, the first long-distance all-electric car from a major U.S. automaker, was available to members of the news media for a ride-and-drive on Wednesday and Thursday in Washington, D.C.

The Bolt EV, which is said to have a range of 238 miles on a full charge, is now on sale in California and Oregon, and is set to arrive on dealer lots in New Jersey and New York in March, with a starting price of $36,620.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- @RealDonaldTrump and @MichaelCohen212, the president's personal attorney, didn't respond to a tweet inviting them to The Washington Auto Show.

"Since the auto industry is on @RealDonaldTrump's mind we invite your admin to check out the latest in automotive @ #Was17," show organizers tweeted on Thursday.

The show opened to the public today in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

The organizers also sent an email to the White House, asking for a visit by Trump, but they haven't received a response, a spokeswoman said.

Auto policies

President Trump has urged American automakers to keep U.S. plants open, and not to move production to Mexico.

He has also threatened to slap German automakers with a 35% tariff on any car imported into the United States.

Both Cadillac and Global Automakers, the Washington-based lobbyist for international manufacturers, threw parties for members of the automotive media, about 30 of whom arrived here on Wednesday in a special Amtrak rail car from Manhattan.

At a media event on Thursday, Trump also was likely on the minds of Mercedes-Benz and Acura executives.

In their acceptance speeches for so-called Green Car Awards, they made it very clear the wining vehicles were made in the good old U.S.A.

Still, even U.S.-made cars often use engines, transmissions and other key components assembled in other countries.

For example, the all-electric 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is built in Michigan, but uses an electric motor and transmission made in South Korea.

More than 54% of the parts come from Korean or Canada.