Tennis legend Rafael Nadal on October 22 signaled his commitment to promote eco-friendly mobility by increasing the use of Kia’s first dedicated EV, the new EV6 crossover, at a handover ceremony at the Rafa Nadal Academy in his Spanish hometown of Manacor, Mallorca.
At the event, Nadal was provided with a customised EV6 GT-Line. The ceremony followed the European launch of the EV6 crossover, said a press release issued by the carmaker.
In line with the commitment, Nadal will actively use the EV6 crossover for his personal mobility in Mallorca as well as at major tennis tournaments. Furthermore, he has expressed his interest to convert all vehicles used at the Rafa Nadal Academy and Rafa Nadal Foundation to electric vehicles by 2022, said the release further.
“My job naturally requires a lot of travel, and my lifestyle is not fully sustainable. But I’m determined to make the necessary changes where I can, starting with my personal use of the EV6 crossover in Mallorca and beyond,” said Nadal at the event.
He added: “I feel lucky to have the support of Kia and the new EV6 that will help drive my commitment. I would like to encourage others to join me in driving these kinds of vehicles wherever possible.”
The ceremony was illuminated by a tennis court, dubbed the ‘EV6 Court’, whose lighting system was electrically powered by a customised EV6 GT-Line. The first dedicated electrified crossover vehicle by Kia boasts an advanced V2L (vehicle-to-load) function and serves as a portable, self-generating power supply.
“We at Kia strongly believe in our ethos that movement inspires ideas. The EV6 is the model that embodies this new brand ethos of ours, and we feel privileged to have Rafa on our team as our global brand ambassador for the past 15 years,” said Mr. Artur Martins, Senior Vice- President and Head of Kia’s Global Brand and Customer Experience Division.