Skipping Out
Hyundai Motor will not participate in the international motor show IAA Mobility to be held in Munich, Germany this September. It will mark the first time in 20 years that Hyundai has not participated in the event, which is better known as the Frankfurt Motor Show, one of the world’s four major auto shows.
According to industry sources on July 18, Hyundai Motor has made the final decision to pass on IAA Mobility, which will run in Munich, Germany from Sept. 5 to 10 (local time). Among Hyundai Motor Group subsidiaries, only Hyundai Mobis will take part in the event.
IAA Mobility, Europe’s largest automotive exhibition held only during odd-numbered years, was renamed in 2021 from the IAA Motor Show. The venue has also moved from Frankfurt to Munich. The focus of the exhibition is also expanding to include electronics, IT, and mobility technology.
Hyundai has always attended the IAA Mobility event. Especially in the days of the Frankfurt Motor Show, Hyundai strategically attended the event to announce new models and new strategies. Germany is the largest automobile market in Europe, and IAA Mobility is the most important stage to meet European consumers. Hyundai previously announced its carbon-neutral vision at the 2021 IAA Mobility.
In recent years, however, Hyundai has changed its strategy to selectively attend large trade shows. This is due to the fact that attending exhibitions is costly, especially motor shows which have become less popular.
Hyundai also skipped the Paris Motor Show in October 2022. Earlier this year, the Korean automaker did not open a booth at CES 2023 in January, and is currently considering skipping the North American International Auto Show (Detroit Motor Show) in September. Hyundai seems to have little interest in participating in any of the world’s four biggest auto shows.
On the other hand, Hyundai is highlighting its own stage to effectively inform people of its future directions and new models.
In May, Hyundai held its Hyundai Reunion event in Lake Como, Italy, where it took the wraps off a restored Pony Coupe. On July 13 (local time), the company unveiled the IONIQ 5 N, the N brand’s first high-performance electric vehicle, at the Goodwood Festival, the largest automobile festival in the United Kingdom. Both events were attended by Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, which drew much attention.