Hyundai Motor to skip IAA Mobility event in Germany for first time in 20 years

Hyundai Motor Co.’s Ioniq 5 N, which was first unveiled at the UK’s “Goodwood Festival of Speed,” is drifting, on July 13 (local). [Photo by Yonhap]

South Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. has decided to not join the IAA Mobility, the world’s largest mobility event, in Germany in September, for the first time in 20 years as it pioneers its own stage to showcase advanced technologies.

According to industry sources on Tuesday, Hyundai Motor has made the final decision to skip IAA Mobility, taking place in Munich from Sept. 5 to 10.

Among Hyundai Motor Group companies, Hyundai Mobis Co., an automotive parts maker, will be the only one joining the event.

IAA Mobility is the largest auto show in Europe held only in odd-numbered years. It was renamed in 2021 from the IAA Motor Show.

Hyundai Motor had always attended the event, strategically, to announce new cars and strategies.

In recent years, however, Hyundai Motor has changed its strategy to selectively attend large-scale exhibitions given that they entail significant cost for a small return.

Hyundai Motor did not attend the Paris Motor Show in October last year. The company did not set up a booth at the Consumer Electronic Show 2023 in Las Vegas in January. The automaker is also considering skipping the North American International Auto Show (Detroit Motor Show) in September.

Hyundai Motor, instead, is focused on developing its own stages where it can effectively communicate the company’s future direction and showcase new cars.

In May, the company held the Hyundai Reunion event at Lake Como, Italy, and gained attention by unveiling the restored model of the Pony Coupe Concept.

Last week, the company also held an event to unveil the Ioniq 5 N, the first high-performance electric vehicle under the N brand, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the largest automobile festival in the U.K.

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung attended both events.