Manufacturer Kia Motors Body style 5-door crossover | Production 2014-present Related | |
 | ||
Class Subcompact crossover SUV Engine 81.4kW (109bhp), torque 285 Nm (210 lb.-ft) | ||
Soul EV is an all-electric subcompact crossover SUV manufactured by Kia Motors. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official range for the 2015 Kia Soul EV is 93 miles.
Contents
Deliveries began in South Korea in May 2014. European sales began in July 2014. Sales started in the U.S. in October 2014; initially it was sold only in California, Oregon, and several Eastern states, with the largest EV markets and infrastructure including New York, New Jersey and Maryland. Global sales exceeded the 10,000 unit milestone in January 2016, with Europe as the leading market with 6,770 units sold. Germany is the leading European market with 3,853 units sold through December 2015.
History
In 2013, Kia started testing prototype versions of a Soul electric vehicle. In November 2013, Kia announced they would be producing the Soul EV and it would go on sale in 2014. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show The Soul EV is based on the second generation Kia Soul.
Specifications
The Soul EV is powered by a 27 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack and CHAdeMO fast charging capability of 100 kW DC. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official range for the 2015 model year Soul EV is 93 mi (150 km) and the EPA rated its combined fuel economy at 105 miles per US gallon gasoline equivalent (2.2 L/100 km equivalent). As of September 2014, the Soul EV had the largest EPA-rated all-electric range in city driving of its class, with 104 mi (167 km). The motor is rated at 81.4 kW (109 bhp) and torque 285 Nm (210 lb.-ft).
Production and sales
Production of the Soul EV began in South Korea in April 2014. Pricing in the South Korean market starts at 42 million won ( ~US$39,400) before a 50% government subsidy. Kia set a global sales target of 5,000 units for 2014. Deliveries began in South Korea in May 2014, with 38 units delivered.
On June 12, 2014, Kia began production of the Soul EV for export. First vehicles off the production line are headed to select European countries. European retail deliveries began in July 2014.
Sales started in the U.S. in October 2014 as 2015 model year. Initially it was sold only in California, but in March 2015, Kia Motors North America announced the Soul EV would be available in Georgia in the second quarter of 2015, and Washington, Oregon, Hawaii and Texas would receive the EV later in the year. 2016 Kia Soul EVs began sales in Washington state in late July 2015. The Soul EV is available in two trims, with pricing starting at US$33,700 before any applicable government incentives.
In November 2014, the Kia Soul EV went on sale in the UK for £24,995 after the government’s £5,000 Plug-in Car Grant.
Kia announced the 2016 Soul EV would come in three trims: EV-e, EV, and EV+. The EV-e will only be available in California. A Sun & Fun package will be available on the EV+ adding a sunroof, lighted speakers, and interior lighting kit. Other minor changes and colors are being introduced in the 2016 model year.
Global sales passed the 5,000 unit mark in August 2015, of which, 1,177 were sold in South Korea. The 10,000 unit milestone was reached in January 2016, with Europe as the leading market with 6,770 units sold, followed by South Korea with 1,580, and the United States with 1,411. As of December 2015, the leading European markets were Germany with 3,853 units sold, and Norway with 1,637 units.
Controversies
According to Der Spiegel, by the early fourth quarter of 2015 the Kia Soul EV ranked as the top selling plug-in electric car in Germany during 2015 with 2,459 units sold, with almost 1,000 registered in October, nevertheless, there were actually only a few of them on German roads. At the time, about 1,400 Soul EVs had been shipped to Norway and sold as used cars, where availability of new Soul EVs is limited. The magazine claims Kia Motors is registering the electric cars in Germany and then shipping them to Norway, which does not belong to the European Union, as a strategy to reduce the average CO2 fleet emissions of the entire Hyundai-Kia Group. This strategy allows the carmaker to comply with European Union regulations that mandate 130 grams of CO2 emission per km in 2015, and so they avoid to pay a fine of €70 million per year for each gram above the established average limit. According to German authorities this loophole is legal. A total of 2,044 Kia Soul EVs were imported to Norway as used cars during 2015.
Marketing
For the 2014 SEMA Show, Kia Motors unveiled a custom Soul EV with a red and white Smitten Ice Cream livery and a refrigerated trailer.
During the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, Kia introduced the 2015 Kia Soul EV hamster commercial featuring “Animals“ by Maroon 5.