European Product Design Award
Award for sustainable wallbox design concept
LEONHARD KURZ's sustainable wallbox concept impressed at the 2023 European Product Design Awards (EPDA) and received an ‘Honorable Mention’ in the ‘Automotive & Transport/Cars: Electric’ category. The jury, consisting of luminaries from the design industry, honors holistically thought-out and attractive products from all over the world that improve our daily lives.
Requirement
Wallboxes have moved beyond merely supplying energy. They are already being increasingly included in the branding of manufacturers and suppliers. But creative design alone is not enough. Smart functionality is just as much part of a convincing concept as technologies that reduce the carbon footprint. KURZ has achieved all this with its award-winning wallbox concept.
The solution
Innovative production processes from KURZ save energy and raw materials. The backlit instrument center bezel is made from CO2-neutral material and is manufactured using the efficient In-Mold Decoration (IMD) process. Laser etching offers another possibility for custom designs. The wafer-thin and transluscent touch sensors of the KURZ subsidiary POLYIC are precisely and adherently integrated using Functional Foil Bonding (FFB) or In-Mold Electronics (IME) and enable a homogeneous surface with touch functionality, shy tech design, and breathtaking backlighting effects. The metallization of the outer ring of the wallbox, based on chrome and indium, is carried out using the Hot Stamping process and is the sustainable alternative to the use of Chromium VI. Thanks to the materials and production technologies used, the wallbox is weather-resistant, recyclable, and sustainable. On request, the surface can also be equipped with an antibacterial and antiviral protective layer: BIOFENSE®.
Individual design freedom
KURZ’s flexible and resource-saving processes offer numerous options for making unique brand statements. Machines, tools, and decorations are perfectly matched to each other according to user requirements. This means there are practically no limits to your creative imagination.
Here's how we won over the jury
- Resource-saving production supports CO2 reduction
- Efficient, economical processes
- Countless design possibilities through the use of different methods
- Customization using backlighting, sustainable metallization, touch functionality, and shy tech design
- The wallbox is weather-resistant and recyclable
