Tapping into the thirst for electric vehicle amongst buyers in some parts of North America, Kia has unveiled an electric version of its cool Soul compact hatchback.
Destined for sale primarily in California, Oregon, New York, New Jersey and Maryland, the Kia Soul EV is powered by a 27kWh lithium polymer battery with an energy density of 200 Wh/kg and delivers a range between re-charged up to 160kms.
Two battery charging ports (fast-charge or regular) are located behind a sliding panel in the front grille and the Kia Soul EV can be re-charged via standard 120v outlet or a 240v EV charger. Buyers can choose from Bosch, Leviton or AeroVironment for their home charging package – or you can call into your local Kia dealer for a free charge.
The Kia Soul EV is powered by a 81kW/284Nm AC synchronous permanent magnet electric motor which drives the front wheels. The battery pack is stored under the floor for optimized weight distribution and there is additional cross-bracing underneath so the electric Soul is around six per-cent stiffer than the regular petrol model.
However rear seat legroom is slightly reduced (to 914mm which is still very good compared to other similar EVs and cargo space is also a tad smaller.
Kia Soul EV comes in unique two-tone paint schemes (the roof is white) and also runs a unique front grille (for the charging ports), unique front fascia and LED lights.
