Kia Marks 25 Years of Australian Open Partnership, Provides 130 Official Vehicles

Kia is launching a special brand campaign to mark the 25th anniversary of its partnership with the 2026 Australian Open Tennis Tournament, embarking on global marketing initiatives centered on electrified vehicles.

On January 14 (local time), Kia designated the day as "Kia Move Different Day" and held the official vehicle handover ceremony for the Australian Open at the Kia Arena Terrace in Melbourne Park, Victoria, Australia.

The ceremony was attended by Damian Meredith, CEO of Kia Australia; Craig Tiley, CEO of the Australian Open Organizing Committee; and Damian Oliver, ambassador for Kia Australia, among others.

During the tournament, Kia will provide 130 vehicles to support the transportation of players, VIPs, and tournament officials, as well as to ensure smooth event operations. Notably, this year, Kia is providing a record 55 electric vehicles-about 42% of the total-showcasing its electric vehicle lineup to a global audience.

Marat Safin, Russian tennis legend; Damian Oliver, Australian horse racing legend and Kia Australia ambassador; Todd Woodbridge, former Australian tennis player and MC; Craig Tiley, CEO of the Australian Open Organizing Committee; and Damian Meredith, CEO of Kia Australia, are pictured commemorating the official vehicle handover ceremony for the Australian Open. Photo by Kia

Prior to this, starting January 12 (local time) for three days, Kia has been collaborating with the Australian Open to host both the vehicle handover ceremony and the "1 Point Slam" event, which marks the official start of the tournament.

This event is a match where the first player to score a point wins. It will feature 24 professional players, including the world No. 1 in ATP singles, Carlos Alcaraz, and 24 amateurs. The winner's prize is 1 million Australian dollars (approximately 900 million Korean won), and if an amateur wins, an additional prize of an EV3 will be awarded.

During the finals, global tennis star and Kia's global ambassador Rafael Nadal will visit the Australian Open for the first time since his retirement, participating in the "Nadal EV9 Art Car Handover Event" and the "Kia Arena Fan Event," among others.

The "Nadal EV9 Art Car," jointly developed by Kia and the Australian Open Organizing Committee, is inspired by the uniforms Nadal wore during his Australian Open victories in 2009 and 2022. The vehicle will be on display throughout the tournament at Melbourne Park.

Russian tennis legend Marat Safin and Australian horse racing legend and Kia Australia ambassador Damian Oliver signing on the official competition vehicle EV9. Provided by Kia

During this Australian Open, Kia will also unveil its major electric vehicle lineup-EV4, EV5, EV6, and EV9-along with the PBV model "PV5," which will be introduced in Australia for the first time.

Song Ho-sung, President of Kia, stated, "The 25 years of collaboration between Kia and the Australian Open have been more than just sponsorship; it has been a special time for Kia to share its vision for innovation and sustainability with sports fans worldwide. Moving forward, we will continue to lead the future mobility ecosystem through diverse partnerships and grow as a company that delivers greater value to customers and society."