Power Pairings: The EV Marketing Duos

When it comes to promoting and proselytizing the benefits of electric vehicles, EV makers are employing the power of two. Navigator takes a look at the EV marketing couplings to plug in.

Porsche Formula E x Tag Heuer

Watchmaker Tag Heuer has a decades-long practice of aligning with the top motorsports racing programs. So it is no surprise that it has been the chief sponsor of Porsche’s Formula E racing team since 2019. The ABB FIA Formula E race program was launched in 2011 to foster the concept of sustainable, clean-energy racing. Today, the third-generation Porsche 99X vehicles reach a top speed of nearly 200 miles per hour, with an expected electric off-the-line push from zero to 60 mph in a blistering 2.8 seconds.
Tag Heuer helps tell the tale of speed and excitement with an ongoing series of collaborative watches with Porsche, as the ABB FIA Formula E World Championships travel to 17 international cities this year (from the series opener in Mexico City this past January, to the finale in London in July).

While the current model of the all-electric Porsche Taycan roadster, starting at $90,900, might not sport the neck-snapping performance of the Formula E 99x cars, it is still a high-performance Porsche, through and through: 402 horses, 143 mph top speed, a 5.1-second launch from zero to 60 mph, and an EPA-estimated range of 208 miles between charges. porsche.com

Jaguar I-PACE x United Airlines

Like they say, membership has its privileges. But a new program from United Airlines is adding an unexpected luxurious perk to the top level of its loyal MileagePlus Premier customers: Chauffeured private planeside transfers in a state-of-the-art Jaguar I-PACE electric SUV (which means a relaxed, seamless trip to your next flight, plenty of room for your luggage, and the satisfaction of reduced emissions).

Currently rolling out at United hubs in Houston, Denver, Newark, Dulles, Los Angeles and San Francisco, the program targets United MileagePlus Premier travelers who have particularly tight connections, but some VIP flyers can also find a Jaguar waiting for them just for the surprise and delight of the service. Either way, to experience it all, you need to be invited by United. I-PACEs are currently making about 60 trips per day and transferring more the 1,000 United customers among all the locations.

If you end up falling in love on your airport shuttle, Jaguar’s I-PACE SUV starts at $72,000 and delivers 394 horses and 512 lb-ft of torque, with a zero-to-60 giddy-up of 4.5 seconds — which is not recommended on an airport tarmac, of course. jaguarusa.com

Kia America x Currently

There was a time when buying a new car also bought you a month or two of free fill-ups as a promotional incentive. Think of Kia America’s partnership with mobile-charging service Currently as a fuel-less version of that same incentive. Registered Kia EV owners in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Dallas receive complimentary access to the on-demand concierge charging service for their first two months of membership.

Using the Currently mobile app, car owners set a time and location to get their charge-up, and a technician arrives with a rolling charger to top off the tank to 100 miles of range or 80 percent of the battery capacity, whichever is less.

At press time, Kia accepted reservations for the much-anticipated, fast-charging 2024 Kia EV9 SUV. By the time you read this, however, the rugged, three-row next-generation utility vehicle should be landing at dealerships, starting at $75,395. kia.com