this very special Kia EV3 was made with apples and mushrooms

While the Kia EV3 has just been marketed in France, the South Korean brand presented a rather strange concept derived from the small SUV. This study car is a “ vision of the next generation of ecological vehicles “. Recycled plastic, apple waste and even mushrooms were used.

An ecological Kia EV3

Hyundai and Kia love innovation. A new EV3 concept proves it: it was designed to test new materials. In total, the company used “ 22 recycling technologies or natural materials » to replace 69 parts of the small electric SUV. Although this ecological EV3 will probably never be marketed, it offers “ a vision of a new generation of vehicles ».

Kia has integrated natural or recycled materials inside and out. Parts of the bodywork, including the bumpers and tailgate, were made from plastic recovered from scrapped vehicles. They are ” welded » with a composite that uses natural fibers as well as biopolymers. This material is also used on the roof, the rear spoiler and the mirror caps.

Apple and mushroom waste in the passenger compartment

Inside, the ecological improvements continue with the use of particularly surprising materials. The central console and the steering wheel are, for example, covered with a “ Apple Skin “. It is a leather-like material made by pulverizing apple waste from the food industry. The smartphone’s induction charger is even wrapped in leather made from mushroom waste.

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Finally, the door trims and dashboard use recycled plastic from used water bottles. This unique Kia EV3 was recently presented at the Namyang Research Center during an exhibition dedicated to recycling. The brand assures that it wants to continue to “ develop low-carbon technologies based on recycled materials to ensure the ecological nature of vehicles ».