en.Wedoany.com Reported - BASF, in collaboration with the Hyundai Motor China Design Center, has custom-developed an inflatable wrap-around seat module made from Elastollan® TPU for Hyundai's new IONIQ all-electric family SUV, the EARTH Concept car.

This concept car made its debut at the 2026 Auto China Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, fully demonstrating the Hyundai Motor China Design Center's firm commitment to creating localized new energy vehicle (NEV) mobility solutions tailored for the Chinese market.

Inspired by the vitality and resilience of the Earth, the EARTH Concept redefines the family all-electric SUV as a protective space that integrates nature, technology, and strength. The interior, centered around the "Little Earth" concept, creates an "Air" design system, fostering a serene and reassuring cabin environment.

Elastollan® TPU combines mechanical strength with stable extrusion processing performance, endowing the inflatable wrap-around seat module within the "Little Earth" with excellent puncture resistance, durability, weldability, and reliable airtightness. It maintains softness and resilience even through repeated inflation and deflation cycles, ensuring comfort for passengers of all ages. This perfectly embodies the human-centric core philosophy of IONIQ, making family travel warm and full of exploratory fun.

The introduction of this innovative material solution further expands design freedom and achieves unique structural color effects through photonic crystal film technology, meeting the EARTH Concept car's multiple demands for comfort, aesthetics, and functionality, presenting a highly distinctive interior style.

Furthermore, Elastollan® TPU supports both mechanical recycling and chemical recycling, bringing more possibilities to the concept car's sustainable design philosophy. The Elastollan® TPU raw material used this time was produced at BASF's Zhanjiang Verbund site, reflecting localized material innovation and production capabilities, and aligning with Hyundai Motor's "In China, For China, To Global" strategy.

The realization of this project was made possible through the close collaboration between the BASF Creation Center and the Hyundai Motor China Design Center. Driven by material innovation, both parties keenly recognized Elastollan® TPU's excellent plasticity and feasibility in realizing complex creative designs.

The design inspiration for this interior comes from the Earth's vitality and ecological balance, featuring a soft-touch surface and ergonomic supportive contours, aiming to provide the ultimate comfort experience. Elastollan® TPU perfectly aligns with this vision, combining ergonomic performance with a unique "Air" aesthetic. Our collaboration with BASF has been very pleasant, with both sides embracing a spirit of bold experimentation and proactive progress.

Elastollan® TPU allows us to integrate new functions and design concepts into future automotive interiors while meeting stringent performance requirements. Through the synergy of the BASF Creation Center, we combine material expertise with application ingenuity to provide our partners with innovative mobility solutions.

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