Hyundai Kia group's new environmental technology R&D center
The Hyundai Kia Automotive Group has opened a new Research and Development Centre in Seoul to "develop cleaner, more eco-friendly vehicles" (related post)The US$58 million center will be a place where company engineers can fiddle with hydrogen, emissions, electric drive systems, and end-of-life recycling, among other things (see the full list in the press release after the jump)
Group Vice Chairman Sang-Kwon Kim said in that statement that, "The mission of the R&D centre is to enable Hyundai Kia Automotive Group to realise its vision of becoming the world leader in environmental technology through the development of products and core technologies that are in full compliance with global environment regulations."
True to the green spirit, the center's architecture is fairly low-impact, with low-water toilets, natural light systems, and floors made from recycled tires. It's not the Google HQ, but that sounds pretty cool. Hyundai's press release is after the jump.
Related:
- Hyundai to produce LPG Hybrid Avante for Korea
- Geneva Motor Show: Hyundai's recyclable QarmaQ plastic concept
- KIA chooses Autogreen for End-of-Life Vehicle dismantling in UK
- Top 12 Greenest and Meanest vehicles of 2007
HYUNDAI KIA AUTOMOTIVE GROUP OPENS ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
With a total investment of US$58 million, Hyundai Kia's Research and Development Centre in Seoul will spark new synergies and generate greater efficiency in efforts to develop cleaner, more eco-friendly vehicles.
This investment is an indicator of Hyundai Kia's commitment to attaining global leadership in environmental management. It will allow them to proactively respond to the intensifying environmental regulations in product development, manufacturing, sales, after service and recycling of vehicles. Situated on a 30,488-sq. metre site, the five-storey, 14,233 sq. metre facility is home to 200 researchers and more than 400 pieces of high-tech equipment.
Facilities include a 700-bar hydrogen filling station, a fuel-cell endurance tester, an emissions lab, dynamometers and other specialised equipment for testing electric propulsion systems. The centre also contains a pilot plant for automated vehicle dismantling focusing on improving the material recycling rate of end-of-life vehicles.
Together with the 350-bar station at the Group's Namyang Centre, the 700-bar hydrogen filling station will enable fuel-cell vehicle tests and help accelerate the commercialisation of fuel-cell electric vehicles.
"The mission of the R&D centre is to enable Hyundai Kia Automotive Group to realise its vision of becoming the world leader in environmental technology through the development of products and core technologies that are in full compliance with global environment regulations," said Group Vice Chairman Sang-Kwon Kim.
The Group plans to invest heavily in next generation green vehicles and environmental technologies, focusing on the development of core technologies for fuel-cell and hybrid cars and mass production of such vehicles. As well as developing technologies for lowering gas emissions and improving fuel efficiency, investigations into alternative materials to ferrous metals and the development of technologies for reducing pollution and waste from the manufacturing process will be undertaken.
Setting the standard, the centre itself was constructed using environmentally friendly materials and processes such as vacuum toilet systems which result in 1,500 tons of water savings annually; heating and air conditioning systems using heat pumps; natural light systems using solar reflectors; floors made of scrapped tyres; and electric power created from actual fuel-cell tests that result in a 1,000-ton reduction in CO2 emissions.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
haqitman 9:21PM (7/17/2007)
Hey guys just a FYI unrelated to this item but I wanted to tell you: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19810648/
Love 'em or hate 'em, Walmart is at least trying.
Reply
Ben 9:26PM (7/18/2007)
Does anyone really care?
I keep reading about people wanting to save energy but when I tell them about an Air Recycling Technology that can save 1.5 Terawatt of electricity a year in the UK alone, that is about £150,000,000. (One hundred and fifty million pounds worth at 10p a unit) and 650,000 Tons of CO2, (20 million Tons a year world wide) I fail to get any practical response.
It has been tested on behalf of the Government DTI and DEFRA for the Market Transformation Program and the tests support the above energy efficiency predictions.
I have spent 15 years on this project building prototypes at my own expense and now at 80 years of age I may never see the final results of my work.
All I can do now is to inform as many people as possible and hope that I can find someone to manufacture and market this machine. Not to difficult as prototypes have already been made and tested.
I have approached airline companies for support but so far without any response, perhaps if others joined me we could get a hearing.
In addition to being energy efficient it is also safe for use by people suffering from respiratory diseases.
To see more information please go to my web page at
www.edginton.info/arc
Ben.
Reply