Kia Rolls Out the New Soul EV to Stakes it’s Place In The Electric Global Auto Industry

The Kia Soul EV is in many ways exactly what you’d expect if you are an EV enthusiast. It is so similar externally to the regular Kia Soul that most people don’t even recognize it is an EV. It lacks a gas input and has a hidden electric input on the front grill, slightly different lights and has some aerodynamic rims and low rolling resistance wheels. But besides those little details and of course the small ‘EcoElectric’ label on the car, it is pretty hard to tell this is an EV.

From a drive train perspective, Kia removed the gas tank and internal combustion engine and all of the bits that go with it. In its place Kia placed 32.7kWh of batteries. Under the hood it switched out the 4 cylinder ICE with a tiny 109HP AC engine, but surprisingly capable engine thanks to 210ft/lbs of EV torque. On top of that is a charge controller and inverter. There’s a ton of empty space up there in the front that wouldn’t exist if this was designed as an EV first. The 32kWh of batteries carry the Kia Soul EV around 100 miles but because of the box-like aerodynamics, that can mean significantly over 100 miles in the slow driving city or under 100 miles on the highway.

With its ample interior room, large cargo capacity, and 93 miles of range on a full charge, the compact 2016 Kia Soul EV is one of the most practical of the lower-priced all-electric vehicles on the market. It is also one of the most unexpected, since the South Korean manufacturer only sells one another electrified vehicle, the midsize Optima Hybrid. It’s as though the company is showing off, saying, “We can do that, too.”

Check out the new Kia Soul EV at Van Griffith Kia today and take it for a test drive!