Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- To raise awareness on climate changes and promote the benefits of electric vehicles, BTS will act as a vanguard to promote Formula E, a city-based single-seater electric car motor racing championship which will take place in Seoul next year.

FIA, the global governing body of motorsports, said in a statement published on its website that as a global ambassador of Formula E, BTS will use the group's "unique platform to shine a light on important social issues such as addressing air pollution."

"With air pollution presenting the single largest environmental risk to human health today and causing more deaths each year than smoking cigarettes, both Formula E and BTS hope to inspire the next generation and millions of young fans to embrace clean energy and become future drivers of electric vehicles," FIA said.

Citing the global popularity of BTS, FIA said that Formula E aims to accelerate the mass adoption of electric vehicles and in turn tackle air pollution and counteract climate change. "As the only form of motorsport to not produce any tailpipe emissions, Formula E's primary purpose is to increase the number of electric cars on the road and the series regularly connects with influential partners to spread its message."

Formula E racing takes place on temporary city-center street circuits. Seoul will hold its first Formula E race on May 3 next year at its iconic Olympic Stadium and the streets that wind their way around the sports complex.

BTS has previously played the role of global ambassadors for organizations to raise awareness on social issues. The seven-member band jointly launched a campaign with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) earlier this year to stop violence in and around schools.