Kia Corporation is supporting the Australian Open 2024 (AO24) – the prestigious tennis Grand Slam event of the Asia-Pacific region – through the supply of a fleet of official tournament vehicles, including its award-winning all-electric models EV9 and EV6. Kia is also organizing a series of fan engagement activities that highlight its commitment to electrification and mark the company’s twenty-year partnership with brand ambassador Rafael Nadal.
As the Major Partner of AO24, the brand held an official vehicle handover ceremony at Melbourne Park on January 11, attended by Kia personnel and Tennis Australia executives. During the vehicle handover ceremony, a statue of Nadal was unveiled at Kia’s activation at Melbourne Park in tribute to Kia’s global brand ambassador.
Kia presented tournament officials with a fleet of 130 vehicles, featuring 15 EV9, 10 EV6, 10 Carnival and 95 Sorento models. This year’s tournament also marks the debut of the Kia EV9 in the official Australian Open vehicle fleet. The vehicles will provide players, match officials and VIPs with safe, comfortable transport around Melbourne during AO24 which, for the first time, will run for a 15-day duration, from January 14 to 28.
“As the longest-running major partner of the Australian Open, we are delighted to once again play a pivotal role in supporting what is widely regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events while highlighting our ongoing commitment to the electric vehicle transition,” commented Charles Ryu, Senior Vice President, and Head of the Global Brand & CX Division at Kia.
“We are delighted to once again have the opportunity to demonstrate Kia’s latest industry-leading sustainable mobility solutions to those attending AO24 and to engage with millions of fans across the world through the digital marketing campaigns we have prepared.”
“The enduring partnership between Kia and the Australian Open has played a major role in helping us transform the AO into the phenomenal sporting and entertainment event that it is today, connecting and engaging with millions of fans around the globe,” said Craig Tiley, Australian Open Tournament Director.
“The Kia fleet has become an iconic sight in Melbourne during the AO and transports the players and their teams seamlessly around the city. This year we are delighted to see the new all-electric EV9 SUV flagship model join the fleet for the first time”.
Kia’s brand initiatives at AO24 will include model showcases for the EV9 and EV5 concept car. A striking custom Ocean Matte Blue EV9 will be positioned next to a kinetic display wall, alongside two additional EV9 models that visitors can engage with. The brand is also collaborating with Uber One and adding an electric feel to their reinstated Kia fan fleet initiative, focusing on sustainable mobility. Kia will offer Uber one members complimentary ride opportunities to the tennis in a fleet of 30 electric vehicles, featuring a mix of EV6 and EV9 models.
Kia will be joined at the event by 80 guests, including Kia customers who have purchased or test-driven a Kia EV model, selected from around the world through promotional activities to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Australia, which included tickets to AO24 matches and a special tour of Melbourne Park. Fifteen influencers from more than ten countries will also attend the event as guests of Kia and will create engaging content from AO24 as they drive through the city of Melbourne in Kia EV9 models.
In addition to reiterating the brand’s commitment to electrification, the AO24 brand initiatives were designed to highlight Kia’s continued support for the sport of tennis and pay tribute to Rafael Nadal, who unfortunately had to withdraw from AO24 due to injury. This includes a series of videos inspired by Kia’s ‘Movement That Inspires’ ethos. ‘Dear Tennis,’ and ‘Dear Rafa’ are based upon the theme of exchanging letters. Related contents can be found on Kia’s official YouTube channel.
Motor 283 is the biggest automotive website created by a team of automotive enthusiats and this author page is used to show the readers the press releases and news posted on Motor 283 website.
For more than 20 years, the Cayenne has been characterised by its ability to provide the broad range of qualities between characteristic Porsche driving performance, excellent comfort in everyday driving, and great capability when driving off-road. The future models of the SUV will seamlessly continue this success story, retaining all of the car’s familiar features.
“The Cayenne has always defined the sports car in its segment. In the middle of the decade, the fourth generation will set standards in the segment as an electric SUV,” said Blume, CEO of Porsche AG. At the same time, into the next decade our customers will still be able to choose from a wide range of powerful and efficient combustion and hybrid models.
"The third generation of the Cayenne will be further upgraded and will continue to be offered alongside the fourth, all-electric generation".
The current Cayenne generation, which last year was given one of the most extensive product upgrades in the history of Porsche, will be further developed with major technological investment in the future. Here the developers will be focusing, among other things, on the powertrains, in particular on improving the efficiency of the V8 developed by Porsche and built at the Zuffenhausen engine plant. Extensive technical measures will ensure that the twin-turbo engine is ready to comply with future legislative requirements.
In a bold move against the prevailing headwinds in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, VinFast, the young Vietnamese EV manufacturer, is forging ahead with its ambitious global expansion plans. While major players like Apple have recently abandoned their decade-long pursuit of an electric vehicle, and others are scaling back their ambitions, VinFast remains undeterred. Having already established a presence in the U.S., Canada, and Southeast Asia, the company is now setting its sights on the Middle Eastern market.
Hyundai is set to debut its three-row electric SUV later this year, a move that signifies the automaker's bold step into the large electric vehicle (EV) market. This new SUV, anticipated to be named the Ioniq 9, is poised to be Hyundai’s equivalent to the Kia EV9, offering a spacious and eco-friendly alternative to its popular Palisade.
SHARE
