As part of the Turn the Blues Green campaign, Hyundai have assisted Chelsea in reducing our carbon footprint and improving sustainability. The Chelsea Women squad are already using the first batch of KONA Electric SUVs delivered by Hyundai, as well as the six new charging points they supplied at our training ground.The players are also sharing their experiences of using those electric cars to help dismiss some of the myths surrounding them and encourage others to follow the Blues’ lead by going green and switching to sustainable transport with battery-electric vehicles.

‘We had no idea how easy it was to charge an electric car,’ explained Pernille Harder, who has been sharing one of the vehicles with her partner and team-mate Magdalena Eriksson. ‘At first, we had the manual out and everything, and then we realised how quick, easy and smooth it was to plug the KONA Electric in.’

Eriksson added: ‘Having the charging points at the training centre is a complete luxury. We can just plug in before we start training, and then we can drive home with a full battery.’

In addition to how easy they found the SUVs to use in their everyday lives, the range between charges provided by the new fleet of vehicles at Cobham has also impressed the current Women’s Super League champions, including Welsh international Sophie Ingle.

‘I drove one long trip to Wales and back, so the KONA Electric feels just as easy to live with as a petrol or diesel car,’ she said.

The partnership between Chelsea and Hyundai sees their logo appearing on the sleeves of our shirts during all matches for our men’s, women’s and Academy teams, with the Turn the Blues Green campaign aimed at using that association to educate supporters and the general public about the benefits of switching to sustainable transport and reducing their carbon emissions.

‘At Chelsea, we pride ourselves on partnering with some of the world’s leading companies, and we have enjoyed a successful relationship with Hyundai since the beginning of the 2018/19 season,’ said Chelsea chief executive Guy Laurence. ‘Now, with the introduction of the Turn the Blues Green campaign, our players are stepping up a gear by getting behind the wheel of Hyundai’s zero-emission KONA Electric SUV.

‘Stories of their driving adventures will help inform the public of the importance of sustainable mobility as we move towards the UK’s regulation changes on cars powered solely by a petrol or diesel engine in 2030. We have an exciting future ahead with Hyundai, of which sustainability is a big focus.’