Hyundai Motor Company-Kia, Alten Korea and BASF co-create concept car seat in Kia’s new EV3 Study Car 2.0
- Concept seat combines circular material approaches with design-for-disassembly principles
Seoul, Korea, November 9, 2026 – Hyundai Motor Company-Kia, Alten Korea and BASF collaborated to design an innovative seating solution for the Kia EV3 Study Car 2.0, bringing together expertise in vehicle development, engineering, product design and advanced materials. 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. BASF’s material solutions, including engineering plastics, polyurethanes (PU) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), have been considered into the seat architecture to support easier dismantling and material separation at the vehicle’s end of life.
“Study Car 2.0 gives us a practical environment in which to examine end-of-life considerations during vehicle and component development, rather than after the design has been completed,” said Jongkook Lee, Vice President, Hyundai Motor Group. “This seat project helps us assess how material selection, assembly methods and future dismantling requirements interact within a complex interior system.”
Alten Korea 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,” said Gwanghyun Kim, Executive Director, Alten Korea, an engineering services company. “We therefore approached the seat as a complete system, balancing structural, assembly and separation requirements within one integrated design.”
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 (visit Elastollan® TPU for details).
Elastoflex® W flexible polyurethane (PU) foam containing recycled content from post-consumer feedstock for the seat cushion and backrest (visit Elastoflex® W for details).
Haptex® polyurethane synthetic leather with bio-circular feedstock for the upholstery (visit Haptex® for details).
Ultramid® CR RC4 polyamide (PA), containing recycled content derived from post-consumer waste, is applied on the seat back cover component (visit Ultramid® CR RC4 for details). 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.”
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.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 95,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €60 billion in 2025. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.
About BASF’s Performance Materials division
BASF’s Performance Materials division drives the transformation of the plastics industry by uniting sustainability with high performance. Our materials expertise, deep industry know-how, and broad product portfolio make us the preferred partner for comprehensive solutions across the plastics lifecycle. With dedicated material-focused teams, strong R&D power, and a global production network close to our customers, we deliver tailored offerings that meet regional and industry-specific needs. Our products enhance performance and efficiency in key sectors such as automotive, construction, consumer goods, and industrial applications. Together with our partners, we embark on #OurPlasticsJourney towards a more circular and sustainable future.In 2025, the Performance Materials division achieved global sales of €6.4 billion.
Join #OurPlasticsJourney on LinkedIn https://on.basf.com/PM_LinkedIn
and in our newsletter https://on.basf.com/PM_Newsletter.
Further information at https://www.performance-materials.basf.com.
