‘We can charge up our romantic nights with it,’ Shah Rukh Khan on Hyundai Ioniq 5

Shah Rukh Khan, who has been the corporate brand ambassador of Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) since it first began operations 25 years ago, expounds the vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities of the Ioniq 5 by conjuring up the image of a romantic, camping night, at its launch at the 2023 Auto Expo. 

“Just imagine, you have a guitar, and you have placed a light on the car, removed its hatch, have spread pizza slices (on the table), and in front of the car, someone like me is singing,” he says, before humming the lyrics of his iconic song, Tujhe Dekha Toh. “I would take this car, apart from its wonderful features, just because of the fact that it has got V2L, and we can charge up our romantic nights with it.”

Khan also feels grateful that the transition to electric is happening in his lifetime. “We have moved from internal combustion engines to electric; we have moved from petrol pumps to powerpoint plugs. It’s a great thing; I didn’t imagine that it will happen in my lifetime.” He also talks about the renaissance the Indian automobile industry is currently witnessing. “The customer has become pickier, and choosy. They have become tech-savvy and want a brand persona.”

On a lighter note, Khan also quips that as the senior-most member of HMIL, he should be allowed to take every newly launched Hyundai vehicle back home. “I would request all the head honchos who are sitting here to make it a company policy that every time I come to Delhi for a launch; I should be allowed to take home the newly-launched vehicle, for free.”