Kia released pricing for its first battery-powered model in the US, the 2015 Soul EV, which starts at $33,700, not including an available federal tax rebate of $7,500.
The better-equipped Soul EV Plus is priced at $35,700, again without the $7,500 federal subsidy.
The Korean firm will also offer the car for a 36-month lease with a $249 monthly payment and $1,999 due at signing (after the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit has been deducted).
In Base grade, the Soul EV’s standard kit includes navigation, Rear Camera Display, Bluetooth, hands free operation, power windows, power driver’s seat, cruise control, 6.6kW on-board charger and Kia’s UVO EV Service that provides real-time battery-level status, distance to empty, and a nearby charging station search function.
The Plus trim adds leather-trimmed and heated seats, projection-style fog lamps and power-folding outside mirrors.
An 81.4kW (109hp) electric motor delivering 210 lb-ft (284 Nm) of torque, linked to a single-speed gearbox provides motivation offering a 0 to 60 mph (96 mph) time of just under 12 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h).
The 27kWh lithium-ion polymer battery located beneath the car’s floor offers a driving range of approximately 80 to 100 miles (128-161 km) on a full charge, which takes 24 hours on a standard 120-volt outlet and less than 5 hours on a 240-volt plug. Kia says that with a 50kW output charger, an 80-percent charge can be achieved in a little over 30 minutes.
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