Kia to use 55 tons of ocean plastic in electric vehicles

        Kia plans to use 55 tonnes of recycled ocean plastic recently recovered from the Pacific Ocean in its new electric models. The record-breaking amount of plastic recovered by Kia’s global partner The Ocean Cleanup marks the next phase of the seven-year global partnership agreed in April 2022 as part of Kia’s transformation into a leading sustainable mobility solutions provider.

        System 002 Extraction Technology

        The Ocean Cleanup, an international non-profit project with a mission to remove ocean plastics, captured plastic in Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada. The record catch was removed from the Pacific Ocean using The Ocean Cleanup’s System 002 extraction technology after a long voyage through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). The GPGP is the world’s largest floating garbage patch with an estimated surface area of 1.6 million square kilometres, an area three times the size of France.

Recycling of the recovered plastic will begin soon and Kia will use some of the material in future models. The policy is in line with Kia’s commitment to provide sustainable mobility solutions that have a measurable impact on achieving sustainable development at scale.

        Sustainable solutions implemented by Kia

        Kia has successfully implemented more than 30 sustainable solutions in various product areas, including the use of recycled PET, bio-based alternative leather and BTX-free coating fabrics and carpets. Taking the brand's flagship 7-seater all-electric SUV EV9 as an example, recycled waste (including fishing nets recovered from the ocean) is used to make the vehicle's floor carpet. The components used in the construction of the EV9 are made of recycled plastics and bio-based environmentally friendly materials and weigh approximately 34 kg.

        Immediately after bringing the record catch to shore, The Ocean Cleanup announced the launch of its new System 03 technology. With nearly three times the volume of System 002, System 03 can capture more ocean plastics continuously, year-round, at a lower cost per kilogram removed. It also features more advanced environmental monitoring and safety technologies, such as a new marine animal safety hatch designed to protect marine life. This scale-up marks the next phase in The Ocean Cleanup’s goal to remove 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040.