Hyundai Wants New Cars To Be 100% Environmentally Friendly

There’s a widespread misconception that EVs are 100% environmentally friendly, leaving no nasty metaphorical footprints on the planet. It’s worth pointing out that this is a consumer-driven myth and that most manufacturers are willing to admit they are not carbon neutral.

The ultimate goal is to reach circularity, which seems a bit cult-like. It’s a simple concept and means the manufacturer builds a product while keeping the end-of-life process in mind. The idea is to create a car that would leave no trace of its existence once it’s gone.

According to Hyundai, circularity is closer than we think. In a recent interview with Dezeen, Hyundai’s vice president, Simon Loasby, stated that his team is pushing strongly towards eliminating the waste and pollution it produces while manufacturing its cars. This interview comes shortly after Hyundai launched its second EV, the Ioniq 6.

“In every aspect, we’re pushing it [circularity] really strongly, though I wouldn’t say we’re the most successful yet,” said Loasby. “Circularity is where we have to be, that’s the vision where we have to get to,” he added. “I’d say design is often the most advanced in thinking in the organization to some extent, and so that for us is like the Holy Grail.”

When asked how far away circularity is, Loasby’s answer was a bit vague. “It could be a generation of cars away rather than three or four generations away,” he continued. “We just need to get the visibility, the understanding of it.”

He provides examples of how the concept could be used in manufacturing. Loasby is currently trying to convince Hyundai’s seat suppliers to reuse old metal seat frames, and it’s working on a program to reuse plastic removed during the manufacturing process.

“In everything we do we can find those examples to get everybody thinking,” Loasby continued. “Once we get that critical mass in the organization – and we’re getting there – then all of a sudden it’s boom, and then it’s one car away.”

BMW, on the other hand, believes circularity will only be a reality, according to comments made when it unveiled the i Vision Circular Concept in 2021. Polestar, on the other hand, is as optimistic as Hyundai. It’s on record stating that it will go carbon neutral by 2030 without having to plant thousands of trees, which is the easy way out of this conundrum.

Loasby admitted that these carbon-neutral efforts would have a negative impact on price until a tipping point is reached.

“People are already prepared to pay a bit more for electric cars, but they’ll come down in price. It’ll be the same with circularity, it’ll cost us a little bit more,” said Loasby. “It’ll become the norm, it will get over a tipping point and everyone will do it so no longer will there be an extra cost,” he continued. “The early adopters will buy into it earlier, whichever generation that is, and they’ll do it because it makes that statement.”