BASF, Alten Korea, and Hyundai Motor Company-Kia collaborated to design an innovative seating solution for the Kia EV3 Study Car 2.0.

The concept car seat demonstrates how circular material solutions, design-for-disassembly principles, and end-of-life considerations could be incorporated to explore more circular approaches for vehicle interiors.

The concept car seat combines circular material approaches with design-for-disassembly principles.

Circular material solutions from BASF

The concept seat incorporates BASF materials across its cushioning, upholstery and structural components:

•    Elastollan thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for the headrest application derived partly from bio-based feedstock, using Whistling supercritical foaming technology patented by Comtech Chemical, Korea.

•    Elastoflex W flexible polyurethane (PU) foam containing recycled content from post-consumer feedstock for the seat cushion and backrest.

•    Haptex polyurethane synthetic leather with bio-circular feedstock for the upholstery.

•    Ultramid CR RC4 polyamide (PA), containing recycled content derived from post-consumer waste, is applied on the seat back cover component. The metal seat back frame can also be replaced with Ultramid, for an integrated structure incorporating the back cover.

“Automotive seats require different material classes to work together within a single system,” said Andy Postlethwaite, Senior Vice President, BASF Performance Materials Asia Pacific. “This co-creation allows us to examine the interfaces among PA, PU and TPU materials, including how material decisions relate to component construction and separation at the vehicle’s end of life.”

Design for disassembly

Alten Korea, an engineering services company, developed the seat design with Hyundai Motor Company-Kia and BASF, translating the partners’ material and disassembly objectives into an integrated seat architecture.

The design explores how component construction and assembly can facilitate future dismantling and the sorting of materials.

“A seat is a tightly integrated system, so changing how its components are separated also affects its structure, assembly and appearance,” explained Gwanghyun Kim, Executive Director, Alten Korea. “We therefore approached the seat as a complete system, balancing structural, assembly and separation requirements within one integrated design.”

Continuing concept vehicle collaborations

Study Car 2.0 continues a series of concept vehicle collaborations between Hyundai Motor Group and BASF. Earlier projects included the Hyundai i-flow concept car in 2010, the Hyundai RN30 concept car in 2016 and the Kia EV3 Study Car in 2024.

Based on the Kia EV3 platform, Study Car 2.0 advances the collaboration by applying end-of-life design considerations across a broader range of vehicle materials and within the seat architecture.