Tennis legend Rafael Nadal today signalled 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 as a demonstration of the two longstanding partners’ shared vision for creating a better world and to inspire a new generation of drivers to embrace electric mobility. The ceremony followed the European launch of the EV6 crossover and served to highlight Kia’s new brand purpose – ‘Movement that inspires’.

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 such as the 2022 Australian Open. 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.

“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. “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 kind of vehicles wherever possible.”

The EV6 is Kia's first dedicated electrified crossover vehicle and boasts an advanced V2L (vehicle-to-load) function which 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 Artur Martins, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia’s Global Brand and Customer Experience Division. “He is not only one of the greatest athletes in history but an icon of inspiration who constantly strives to make a positive impact in the world through his diverse social contribution activities.”

The EV6’s vehicle-to-load (V2L) function demonstrated at the EV6 Court of the Rafa Nadal Academy can supply up to 3.6KW of electricity and be used conveniently as a portable power supply for leisure and other everyday activities.