Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Kia quantitatively evaluates the environmental effects of its products through the evaluation of the full life cycle of its products, which includes production, usage and waste. LCA is a part of the ISO14040 series that has been standardised internationally. When LCA was first introduced, it generally applied to bumpers, dashboards, body panels and engines along with other parts. With accumulated experience, beginning in 2006, new vehicles now go through Total Car LCA.
As a result of Total Car LCA, the Mohave SUV which debuted in January 2008, was evaluated to be more eco-friendly than any other vehicle in the same grade. Kia plans to continuously support environmental sustainability by establishing complete cycle structure where all new vehicles developed will attain acceptable LCA standards.

Resource Usage

Reduction in Resource Usage and Recycling Improvements
Kia is continually focusing on developing technologies that utilise alternative resources and recycle whenever possible. To establish a recycling society within our plants, we apply eco-friendly concepts to every phase of our product development. We actively evaluate every product through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Eco-efficiency Evaluation to achieve optimum waste recycling efficiency.  LCA has been standardized internationally and as a result of Total Car LCA, our Mohave, which debuted in January 2008, was evaluated to be more eco-friendly than any other vehicle in the same grade.

Automotive Recycling Center

Since 2006, Kia has operated its Recycling Center with a recycling capacity of 4,200 vehicles a year. The Center provides technical support for designing recyclable vehicles, developing scrap vehicles and waste handling/recycling technology and provides technical support for community business partners.

Compound Polyamide (Nylon) Components Recycling

Nylon is the most popular material used for radiator components inside an engine. Classified as a premier engineered plastic, nylon compound materials used in radiator end tanks were mostly sent to landfill or incinerators because they are difficult to recycle. However, to prevent nylon related environmental contamination, Kia collects the nylon compound, such as radiator end tank, fan and shroud, from scrapped vehicles for recycling while striving to develop more advanced nylon recycling technology to produce more eco-friendly products.

CO2 Reduction Overview by Vehicles

As climate change relief activities have become more and more globalised, developed countries are implementing various regulations and standards to reduce greenhouse gases emitted from auto industries. As a leader in auto greenhouse gas reduction, the EU is planning to enforce restrictions with its standard of 130 g/km from 2012 as a response to disappointing results in voluntary agreements from the late 1990s. Kia constantly strives to advance technologies and enhance fuel efficiencies. As proof of these constant efforts, Kia released the Picanto a small compact vehicle with CO2 quantity of less than 120 g/km, in the European market in 2004 and continued to produce vehicles equipped with eco-friendly diesel engines in 2005. As a result of these efforts, Kia achieved CO2 emissions of 167.3 g/km to satisfy KAMA’s (Korean Automotive Manufacturing Association) mid-term goal of 170 g/km in 2004 and in 2006, achieved CO2 emissions quantity of 163.5g/km, showing a 3.8g/km decrease from 2004.