Kia’s eco-friendly concepts
Hemp fibres, mushroom roots, walnut shells and madder roots might sound like the ingredients for some kind of new-age smoothy, but they’re all materials Kia is considering including in its next-generation vehicles to make them more sustainable.
The Korean car maker recently released details of the interiors of its EV3 and EV4 concept cars, featuring what it describes as game-changing eco-friendly materials and methodologies, designed to play an essential role in the brand’s transition to sustainable mobility solutions provider.
When creating the interior of the Concept EV3 and EV4, for instance, Kia’s design team utilised sustainable fibre weaves to deliver a lightweight, slimmer seat design, plus 3D knit technology which reduces stitching and joins resulting in zero waste.
Additionally, the material chosen for the EV3’s console table was not manufactured but grown in a process known as bio fabrication.
Kia Concept EV3 interior.
The material called ‘mycelium’ comes from mushroom roots, is claimed to combine excellent strength with an extremely soft surface and can be grown in any shape using a mould.
To create the striking cabin of the Concept EV4, Kia’s interior designers applied natural dyes from madder roots and walnut shells to 100% recycled cotton.
The hand-woven fabric strips were then applied to the car’s storage area and dashboard to create a unique and natural-looking effect.
The EV4 also features a console table created using hemp fibres, with hemp a rapidly growing plant that requires minimal resources to cultivate, so is highly sustainable in addition to being a versatile material to work with.
Kia first began integrating sustainable materials in its vehicles with the use of bioplastic and sugar-cane bio fibre in the 2014 Soul EV.
Kia Concept EV4 interior.
The brand’s flagship EV9 seven-seat electric SUV, which launches here in November, will be the first to introduce the brand’s 10 must-have sustainable items which will be a part of all new Kia model lines.
Kia’s 10 must-have sustainable items include bioplastic, produced from biomass sources such as vegetable oils, corn extract, sawdust and sugarcane, and used in vehicle components such as dashboards, consoles, pillars, and trim.
Bio polyurethane (PU), which incorporates plant-based components, is used as a leather replacement, while the vehicle carpets and fabrics can be created from 100% recycled PET plastic, with a proportion of this material being sourced from recycled fishing nets.
Other items that form the 10 must-haves are PCM, or post-consumer recycled plastic, bio PU foam in seats and headrests, bio paint created using rapeseed oil, BTX-free paint (benzene, toluene and xylene), recycled PET yarn in seat stitching, and recycled PET felt for areas requiring sound insulation.
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