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| The FIFA Museum Presented by Hyundai, a special exhibition hall in Doha for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, displays various football-related items such as the uniforms of the 32 participating countries and past World Cup trophies. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group |
By Kim Hyun-bin
Hyundai Motor Group is going all out to showcase its eco-friendly image at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, according to industry officials, Monday.
The carmaker is providing 983 official vehicles as a sponsor of the World Cup, including 316 eco-friendly cars, becoming the first to sponsor electric vehicles (EVs) at the global football extravaganza. Hyundai Motor Group aims to use the World Cup as a stepping stone to establish its image as the world's leading eco-friendly car manufacturer.
Hyundai Motor will provide 616 of the vehicles, including 446 passenger cars, RVs and 170 commercial vehicles, for the World Cup.
Over 220 of the vehicles are EVs, such as the IONIQ 5, G80 and GV70 electric models, and hybrid vehicles such as the Sonata Hybrid EV (HEV), Kona HEV, and Tucson HEV. Passenger vehicles and RVs are being used to transport VIPs and staff, while commercial vehicles are for transporting athletes and media personnel.
"This is meaningful in that we are the first eco-friendly car sponsor in the history of the World Cup," a Hyundai Motor official said. "With the Qatar World Cup as an opportunity, we will continue making efforts to take the lead in realizing carbon neutrality."
Kia, an official sponsor of the World Cup, also joins the Qatar World Cup with a global campaign featuring eco-friendly vehicles. During the tournament, the Hyundai Motor-affiliated firm is providing a total of 367 official vehicles including 297 cars and 70 buses.
Among them, a total of 80 vehicles are eco-friendly vehicles including the EV6 GT-Line (30), Sorrento Plug-in Hybrid (30), and Niro Plug-in Hybrid (20).
Hyundai Motor Group is strengthening its brand marketing through various sporting events besides the World Cup. A prime example is its long-term sponsorship of Rafael Nadal, one of the world's leading tennis players from Spain.
Nadal has won a total of 20 championship trophies in the world's four major Grand Slam tournaments alone. Kia signed an official sponsorship contract with Nadal in 2004, and has been a close partner since then. Kia delivered an EV from its EV6 GT line to Nadal last year and accelerated the global marketing of eco-friendly cars.
Hyundai Motor's premium Genesis brand is a sponsor for major golf events. Genesis hosted the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open, and promoted the luxury brand to Europeans.
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