Photo: Kia
With sustainability at the forefront of the automotive industry, automakers are coming up with various ways to showcase how they integrate it into their vehicles. For instance, Kia presented the “Opposites United” design exhibition at the Milan Design Week, which takes place from April 17 until 23. The “Opposites United” philosophy illustrates how the company develops sustainable mobility solutions.
Kia’s President and CEO, Ho Sung Song, explained that the brand’s design philosophy isn’t limited to how its car looks. It also reflects how the company blends human mobility needs with environmental sustainability in its vehicles. The goal is to create authentic and inspiring experiences for Kia’s customers.
This philosophy is best highlighted in the brand’s new flagship model, the Kia EV9. The car features a range of innovative sustainable materials and processes yet still boasts a premium look and minimizes environmental impact.
The EV9 is built following Kia’s three-step Design Sustainability Strategy. The strategy involves eliminating the use of leather, applying ten sustainable items to all new Kia models, and increasing the use of bio-based materials, such as natural oils, corn, and sugar cane. For instance, in 2014, Kia started using bioplastic and sugar cane bio-fiber in the second-generation “Soul EV.”
Starting with the EV9, Kia replaced leather and PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) with recycled materials, thus minimizing the carbon emissions involved in the production process. For bio fabrication, Kia has already carried out tests regarding the use of mycelium, found in the root structure of mushrooms. The brand is also teaming up with startups and innovators to identify and grow new materials for its vehicles.
Kia aims to build its upcoming products on this platform. Specifically, the brand seeks to expand the integration of recycled plastics to 20% by the end of the decade, with complete carbon neutrality throughout the value chain planned by 2045.
The “Opposites United” design philosophy is based on five key pillars: Bold for Nature, Joy for Reason, Power to Progress, Technology for Life, and Tension for Serenity – each had a dedicated space at the Milan exhibition. Let me tell you a bit about them.
Bold for Nature is inspired by the details, shapes, and proportions we can observe in both the natural and human worlds. Regarding vehicles’ interiors, it translates into creating organic yet technical structures and finishes. For the exterior design, it means clear and straightforward lines with bold surfaces.
Joy for Reason focuses on experiences that spark joy: new interactions, tactile experiences, and playful products. The goal is to transform the mundane into joy by developing vehicles that positively influence passengers’ moods, inspiring relaxation, and creativity. This is done by using new organic materials and vivid colors.
Tension for Serenity embraces the contrast between opposing forces, bringing order out of chaos – applied in automotive design, it translates into the use of designs that feature highly technical details to develop a harmonious look.
Technology for Life is a bit more self-explanatory – the aim is to stimulate positive interaction between humans and machines. Long story short, it’s about creating a next-gen in-car user experience via lighting and connectivity so that customers can have a personal and pleasurable engagement with their vehicles.
And lastly, we have Power to Progress – Kia seeks to build on its current strengths and further develop the design and layouts resulting from the brand’s recent design-led metamorphosis.
This philosophy is best highlighted in the brand’s new flagship model, the Kia EV9. The car features a range of innovative sustainable materials and processes yet still boasts a premium look and minimizes environmental impact.
The EV9 is built following Kia’s three-step Design Sustainability Strategy. The strategy involves eliminating the use of leather, applying ten sustainable items to all new Kia models, and increasing the use of bio-based materials, such as natural oils, corn, and sugar cane. For instance, in 2014, Kia started using bioplastic and sugar cane bio-fiber in the second-generation “Soul EV.”
Starting with the EV9, Kia replaced leather and PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) with recycled materials, thus minimizing the carbon emissions involved in the production process. For bio fabrication, Kia has already carried out tests regarding the use of mycelium, found in the root structure of mushrooms. The brand is also teaming up with startups and innovators to identify and grow new materials for its vehicles.
Kia aims to build its upcoming products on this platform. Specifically, the brand seeks to expand the integration of recycled plastics to 20% by the end of the decade, with complete carbon neutrality throughout the value chain planned by 2045.
The “Opposites United” design philosophy is based on five key pillars: Bold for Nature, Joy for Reason, Power to Progress, Technology for Life, and Tension for Serenity – each had a dedicated space at the Milan exhibition. Let me tell you a bit about them.
Bold for Nature is inspired by the details, shapes, and proportions we can observe in both the natural and human worlds. Regarding vehicles’ interiors, it translates into creating organic yet technical structures and finishes. For the exterior design, it means clear and straightforward lines with bold surfaces.
Joy for Reason focuses on experiences that spark joy: new interactions, tactile experiences, and playful products. The goal is to transform the mundane into joy by developing vehicles that positively influence passengers’ moods, inspiring relaxation, and creativity. This is done by using new organic materials and vivid colors.
Tension for Serenity embraces the contrast between opposing forces, bringing order out of chaos – applied in automotive design, it translates into the use of designs that feature highly technical details to develop a harmonious look.
Technology for Life is a bit more self-explanatory – the aim is to stimulate positive interaction between humans and machines. Long story short, it’s about creating a next-gen in-car user experience via lighting and connectivity so that customers can have a personal and pleasurable engagement with their vehicles.
And lastly, we have Power to Progress – Kia seeks to build on its current strengths and further develop the design and layouts resulting from the brand’s recent design-led metamorphosis.
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