Kia EV3 features ampliTex™
  • Bcomp collaborated with Kia Europe (GmbH) on Concept EV3 and Concept EV4.
  • Unique and exclusive custom ampliTex™ colour created for Kia’s electric vehicle concepts.
  • Sustainable composite technology ampliTex™ proving popular with OEMs for interiors.

Kia Europe (GmbH) collaborated with Swiss sustainable lightweighting company Bcomp to develop sustainable interiors for the groundbreaking Concept EV3 and Concept EV4. This collaboration marks another significant step towards widespread integration of natural and sustainable materials in automotive interior design. 

The Concept EV3 and Concept EV4 received an overwhelmingly positive reception when they were launched at the Kia EV Day 2023. The Concept EV3 is a compact crossover that follows in the footsteps of the larger EV9 three-row SUV, while the EV4 is a sharply styled and sporty sedan. Both concepts were material-driven, pushing the envelope for sustainable materials and incorporating innovative solutions, including Bcomp’s ampliTex™

Kia EV3 Concept features ampliTex™
Kia EV3 features ampliTex™

Bcomp’s ampliTex™ is a sustainable technical fabric that has been used in a wide array of composite applications, from motorsport bodywork and interior, Formula 1 seats through to sports equipment and high-end furniture. It harnesses the properties of flax fibres to produce parts with similar stiffness and weight to carbon fibre while cutting CO2 emissions by up to 85% and offering more sustainable end-of-life solutions.

The Kia team chose to use ampliTex™ throughout the interiors of the Concept EV3 and Concept EV4, embracing its unique natural aesthetic. Bcomp worked with the CMF (Colour, Materials, Finish) designers of Kia Europe Design Center to develop a custom colour finish with nature-inspired tones and select an appropriate weave for the concept vehicles. This unique colour of ampliTex™ is exclusive to Kia and was developed following a lengthy and detailed process to ensure it met the vision of Kia Europe’s designers. 

The Kia Concept EV3 features ampliTex™ in its seat back shell, centre console table, and seat stands, while the Concept EV4 features ampliTex™ in its aesthetic stripe seat back, seat stands, and centre console table.

Kia EV4 features ampliTex™
Kia EV4 features ampliTex™ © Kia

Nicolas Samson, Senior Sales Manager Automotive Interior at Bcomp, commented:Working with Kia has been another immense move towards widespread adoption of Bcomp technologies in automotive interiors. Not only have we been able to showcase the natural aesthetic of ampliTex™, but we’ve also demonstrated our commitment to developing unique and exclusive solutions for our OEM customers. This project is just the beginning of our collaboration, and we look forward to continuing our journey towards a more sustainable automotive future together with Kia.”

Marília BiillHead of Colour, Material and Finish (CMF) Design at Kia Corporation, added: The state-of-the-art interior materials employed in our Concept EV3 and Concept EV4 demonstrate Kia’s commitment to exploring scalable, sustainable solutions for future vehicle production. With an extensive history of use in performance applications, we were thrilled to incorporate innovative sustainable materials such as Bcomp’s flax fibre that reduce the vehicles’ environmental impact, deliver a lightweight and slimmer seat design, and afford unprecedented levels of colour choice and trim finish for a modern aesthetic into the Concept EV3 and Concept EV4 – making them truly unique.” 

For more information
About Kia
About the EV3 and EV4

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