Kia Collaborates with Bcomp, Simplifyber and Biomyc, Bringing Innovative Components to Kia Concept EV2

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• Partnership with Bcomp reduces environmental influence by means of implementation of Swiss firm’s revolutionary flax-based ampliTex™
• Proprietary cellulose-based Simplifyber formulation employed in Kia Idea EV2’s dashboard and door panels to scale back using plastic
• Sturdy, bio-degradable inside elements flawlessly grown and coloured utilizing Biomyc mushroom materials
• Kia’s Idea EV2 is a B-segment electrical SUV that embodies Kia’s forward-thinking method to city mobility

Kia Company immediately introduced particulars of collaborations with chosen cutting-edge supplies firms, the real-world advantages of which have been demonstrated by means of the creation of environmentally acutely aware elements for the model’s new Idea EV2.

Working with companions together with Bcomp, Simplifyber and Biomyc, Kia goals to additional speed up the event and manufacturing of bio-produced supplies, which might exchange generally used up to date synthetics — akin to plastic — in its future autos.

“The industry-leading expertise of our partners in bio-based composites allowed us to redefine what’s possible in automotive interiors with the Concept EV2,” mentioned Nathalie Bucher, Senior Designer CMF at Kia Europe Design Middle. “As we aim to bring innovative material solutions to the mass market, ongoing collaborations with companies like Biomyc, Simplifyber and Bcomp ensure that every material aligns perfectly with our vision, reinforcing our commitment to creating stylish, environmentally aware, and high-quality vehicles for the future.”

Unveiled at Kia’s EV Day in Barcelona, the Idea EV2 is a B-segment electrical SUV that embodies Kia’s forward-thinking method to city mobility. Designed for an lively, related way of life, the Idea EV2 is a imaginative and prescient of how Kia may redefine expectations for compact electrical autos, with its spacious, multi-configurable inside, and an aesthetic that seamlessly integrates kind with operate.

Let’s get x bcomp

Kia has partnered with Swiss cleantech firm Bcomp to deploy its revolutionary ampliTex™ materials into key elements of the Idea EV2, particularly within the again seat shell and entrance seat substructures. Constructing upon Bcomp’s earlier collaboration with Kia on its Idea EV3 and Idea EV4 fashions, this partnership continues to reveal the potential for large-scale implementation of bio-based composites, paving the best way for wider adoption in manufacturing autos.

By changing standard artificial supplies with ampliTex™, the Idea EV2 prioritizes accountable design selections with out compromising on efficiency or aesthetics. Delivering circularity by nature, ampliTex™ additionally affords end-of-life advantages, supporting a extra environmentally acutely aware method to automotive inside design, together with the power to be recycled into composite pellets for additional reuse.

The distinctive properties of ampliTex™, derived from flax fibres, supply distinctive lightweighting advantages, enhanced sturdiness, and a refined aesthetic that elevates the inside expertise.

Bcomp additionally labored carefully with the CMF designers at Kia Europe Design Middle to develop a customized dark-blue end, enhancing the automobile’s beautiful visible attraction with a vibrant colorway.

“Our collaboration with Kia on the Concept EV2 is another step toward the mainstream adoption of natural fibre composites in automotive interiors,” mentioned Nicolas Samson, Gross sales Supervisor at Bcomp. “Kia’s forward-thinking approach to mobility aligns perfectly with our mission to push the boundaries of innovative interior solutions, and together we’re proving that such materials can enhance both vehicle aesthetics and functionality at scale.”

Kia x Simplifyber

Kia’s newest collaboration with Simplifyber, a number one innovator in bio-based materials know-how, integrates additional environmentally acutely aware inside elements into the Idea EV2.

Simplifyber developed and produced the Idea EV2’s dashboard and door panels utilizing its next-generation proprietary cellulose-based formulation, Simplifyber Fybron™ — a fabric comprised of a mixture of sources together with wooden, paper and/or recycled textiles. This collaboration marks Kia as the primary automotive model to use Simplifyber Fybron™ in automobile design.

The formulation used for the Idea EV2’s inside consists of 56 p.c FSC-certified cellulose fibers (31 p.c wooden pulp, 25 p.c lyocell), 21 p.c FSC-certified pure rubber latex, 12 p.c bio-based binders, and 11 p.c artificial fibers.

The liquid-based manufacturing course of eliminates the necessity for spinning or weaving, with the fabric produced on-site at Simplifyber’s facility in Raleigh, North Carolina. The ensuing elements arriving at Kia manufacturing services already within the desired form and with the proper texture, minimizing manufacturing offcuts and considerably decreasing meeting time.

This materials innovation permits for each smooth and versatile, and inflexible elements delivering the mandatory sturdiness to be created on the identical meeting line, showcasing the dexterity of the corporate’s manufacturing system.

“Simplifyber is incredibly pleased to be a part of Kia’s future in resource-efficient interior innovation,” commented Maria Intscher-Owrang, CEO and Co-Founding father of Simplifyber. “In providing cost-effective and environmentally mindful ways of replacing plastics within the Concept EV2 dashboard, Kia is leading the industry in this collaboration. Our materials are a step forward into new design territory, enabling greater manufacturing efficiency at a lower price — and Kia is showing how that can be done.”

Kia’s Biomyc

Kia’s partnership with award-winning supplies design agency Biomyc incorporates sturdy, bio-degradable elements grown by the Bulgarian firm as a part of the Idea EV2’s inside. Crafted from mushroom materials (hemp and mycelium), the partnership additionally employs a sophisticated coloration course of that achieves Kia’s specified Pantone shades exactly.

Tasked with making a purposeful mycelium element for the automobile to function each insulation and a visually impactful design factor, Biomyc designed a posh mould and developed a technique to develop the half with a flawless mycelium pores and skin.

The corporate additionally carried out a analysis venture to discover ecologically conscious coatings, paints, and components able to modifying the colour of the mushroom-based materials. Every choice was rigorously chosen based mostly on standards together with provide and general environmental influence.

As a part of the venture, Biomyc created greater than 180 samples that includes completely different coatings, paints, and components. The outcomes aren’t solely seen throughout the Idea EV2 however have been compiled right into a complete doc to function a future reference for the Kia design division.

“It’s an honor to be chosen as an interior innovation partner to a brand as forward-thinking as Kia,” mentioned Atanas Enev, Founder & Lead Designer at Biomyc. “Kia’s commitment to pioneering environmentally conscious materials in automotive design made this an ideal collaboration. Its bold vision aligned perfectly with our expertise in mushroom material, from advanced molding and coloration to rapid prototyping. Together, we’ve shown that innovative materials can meet automotive standards and move from an idea to a real-world concept without compromise. It’s a bold step for mycelium material adoption.”

Information launch from Whenever.