Korean car brand Kia is approaching the transition to electric motoring in a new, surprising way. Astara Auto Finland, the importer of Kia’s cars into Finland, has developed a gasoline-scented car freshener that all buyers of the Kia EV4 will receive as a gift with their new car during the campaign. The aim is to make it as easy as possible to switch to an electric car – also for those who have had a combustion engine car for a long time.
The fragrance has been designed by Finland’s only perfumier Max Perttula, who has created fragrances for several premium brands.
“Giving up the combustion engine can feel like a huge step, just like giving up anything else that is familiar. We wanted to add a touch of nostalgic fun to the transition with a gas-scented car freshener. Of course, this is a bit of a cheeky campaign, but we also want to communicate that we understand the change to be quite big decision for many,” says Klaus Pohjala, Commercial Director at Astara Auto Finland.
After being contacted by Kia, Perttula, the perfumier behind the scent, set out to create the feel of a heavy motor oil tone with the top note carrying compounds reminiscent of gasoline.
“I picked ingredients that are commonly used in men’s fragrances and in the reconstruction of women’s jasmine flower. It may sound wild that it’s jasmine of all things that contains compounds with a fragrance that creates associations with gasoline – probably not the first thing you’d think of,” says Perttula.
First, a motor oil scented base was created, followed by a fragrance environment reminiscent of a car workshop: a combination of gasoline as well as metallic and mineral nuances.
“The light hint of gasoline brings a long-lasting but subdued tone to the fragrance. Any more and the fragrance would have transformed into a fruity jasmine. Finally, I brought the composition to life by ‘metalizing’ and ‘sanding’ it with amber compounds, birch tar, and galbanum,” Perttula says.
Kia is continuously developing technologies that support the transition to electric mobility. The share of electric cars on the roads is growing, but, in Finland, the majority of cars still run on fossil fuels. At the end of June 2025, EVs accounted for 11.5 percent of the total, with just under five percent being fully electric vehicles and the rest plug-in hybrids. In the first half of the year, fully electric cars already made up more than a third of new passenger car registrations in Finland, indicating that the shift is well underway. More than 30% of the new cars that Kia sells in Finland are electric.
“Kia continues to offer a diverse collection that covers combustion engine, hybrid and fully electric vehicles. For us, it’s important that each customer finds the best option for their needs. We also want to support our customers in the transition to electric mobility. Our campaign is a way to make it easier and more fun,” Pohjala sums up.
