ELECTRIC CARS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Electric Car Sustainability: Innovation Inspired by Nature
As part of our vision to provide sustainable mobility, we are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2045 through three core activities: Sustainable Mobility for our products and services, Sustainable Energy for our production and ecosystem, and, finally, Sustainable Planet for our participation in society.
Are electric cars sustainable? Kia's ongoing commitment to sustainability
At Kia, we believe that electric-powered cars offer a greener, more environmentally-friendly alternative to petrol and diesel cars. However, building sustainable cars goes beyond providing eco-friendly automobiles - it's about creating a clean energy future from manufacture to end-of-life.
Kia is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of electric cars by using sustainable innovations at all stages of the vehicle's life cycle, ensuring that EVs really are better for the environment in the long term.
From renewable energy in production to recycling, our green transportation solutions are designed to contribute to a low-carbon, clean-energy future and highlight the positive environmental impact of electric cars.
Sustainable Mobility
We are on our way to an all-electric future, with a plan to have no less than 15 fully electric vehicles in our range by 2027. The Kia Concept EV9 encapsulates our vision of sustainable mobility, with a design inspired by our ‘Bold For Nature’ philosophy.
The concept showcases a responsible manufacturing approach, with sustainable innovations – like vegan leather and recycled plastics – chosen by our team of designers and engineers. As a corporation, we are planning for 20% of all our vehicles’ plastic parts to stem from recycling by 2030
Sustainable Energy
We are taking a holistic approach, with the goal of ensuring our whole operation and recycling is sustainable. All electric energy used at our manufacturing sites will be 100% renewable energy by 2040 and we are collaborating with our many partners and suppliers to drive their carbon emissions down.
We will establish solar energy systems at our manufacturing plants in Korea, China, the United States, and India. Longer term, we are planning to introduce hydrogen as a power source for our manufacturing.
We are intensifying our efforts to guarantee the recycling of our vehicles and EV batteries. Our vehicles observe the Design for Recycling (DIR) guidelines, which means that a vehicle like the EV6 is entirely recyclable. We are also focused on ensuring end-of-life batteries get either recycled or re-used for energy storage.
Sustainable Planet
In the UK, we are partners with the Surrey Wildlife Trust to support the conservation of 100 acres of rare chalk grassland in Surrey. We’re helping young people with reserves management training essential for conservation. Kia UK staff are taking part in practical conservation efforts to raise awareness of biodiversity and its importance.
Our Blue Carbon programme looks at protecting and restoring key marine environments. We began efforts to restore the tidal mudflats in our home country of Korea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These mudflats capture 260,000 tons of harmful carbon emissions annually.
We have also struck a long-term partnership with The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organisation that is innovating to prevent waste from reaching oceans and to collect waste already present in oceans. As part of this partnership, we are providing not only funding but also operational support.
Why are electric cars better for the environment?
When comparing electric cars vs petrol and diesel cars, the environmental benefits are clear. As zero-emission vehicles, the environmental implications and carbon footprint of electric cars are far lower, making them a key driver in the shift towards low-carbon transportation.
Electric cars don't release any harmful emissions like CO2, helping to reduce air pollution and contribute to cleaning the air quality both on our roads and in towns in cities.
