Kia donates electric vehicles to The Ocean Cleanup in push for marine conservation

Kia said Thursday it will donate electric vehicles to The Ocean Cleanup, its global nonprofit partner, and deepen cooperation to protect the marine environment.

The automaker previously provided The Ocean Cleanup with one EV6 and three Niro EVs in 2024. It is now supplying an additional four electric vehicles — two EV3s and two EV4s — to support the organization's field operations removing plastic waste from oceans and rivers.

The two EV3s come fitted with EV3-exclusive trunk liners made from ocean plastic waste.

The trunk liners were developed through a collaboration between Kia and The Ocean Cleanup, using marine plastic recovered from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The product serves as a prime example of how ocean waste can be transformed into usable goods.

The donation also reflects Kia's brand direction as a "sustainable mobility solutions provider" — one that seeks to fulfill its social responsibilities and contribute to global society and the environment by delivering sustainable mobility solutions.

"Our partnership with The Ocean Cleanup is a cornerstone of Kia's sustainability strategy, driving long-term innovation through vehicle support and exploring new uses for plastic waste," said Dante Gili, marketing director at Kia Europe. "Together, we are moving toward a cleaner ocean ecosystem and a more responsible future."

Ricardo Farina, head of partnerships at The Ocean Cleanup, said Kia is far more than a sponsor. "Kia is an important partner that thinks through our entire operations with us and works alongside us to achieve shared goals," he said. "Kia's active involvement has been a great asset — from raising awareness of the partnership to supporting field operations and turning ocean plastic into reusable resources."

Kia has maintained a long-term partnership with The Ocean Cleanup since 2022, collaborating through financial support, technology and research cooperation, and vehicle donations toward the shared goal of removing 90 percent of ocean plastic by 2040.

Earlier this year, in May, Kia backed The Ocean Cleanup's river cleanup project in the Los Angeles area. The project centers on installing additional "Interceptor" facilities to collect plastic waste from waterways, and Kia is supporting the expansion of those operations.

Beyond its work with The Ocean Cleanup, Kia is pursuing practical solutions to environmental challenges through collaboration with other global partners, combining environmental management with technological innovation as part of its broader commitment to a sustainable future.

Those efforts have earned recognition: last year, Kia was named in the "Sustainability Leadership" category at Newsweek's "2025 World's Greatest Auto Disruptors" awards.