Hyundai goes plastic

A Hyundai concept car is out to prove plastic is a pedestrian’s best friend.

Unveiled at the Geneva motor show last week, the QarmaQ SUV showcases a unique front-end design Hyundai says is much more pedestrian-friendly than traditional designs.

Developed in conjunction with GE Plastics, the QarmaQ’s nose is made from composites and thermoplastic material rather than the traditional materials like metal, glass and regular plastic.

Even the QarmaQ’a windscreen is made out of plastic, a polycarbonate resin that allows a panoramic wrap-around design.

The nose design has been labeled Elastic Front, which Hyundai says uses the natural energy absorbing properties of plastic and negates the need for exterior airbags or pop-up bonnets.

The QarmaQ concept car is made from 85 per cent recycled plastic, which equates to about 900 PET bottles.

Hyundai says predominantly using plastic rather than steel also means a weight saving of 60kg.