Looking at the Kia Soul EV from a purely pragmatic perspective provides plenty of persuasive arguments to steer you its way, if you’re in the market for something completely electric, with above-average (claimed) range, unusual styling and excellent interior practicality.
The model has now gone into production in its native South Korea, and it’s expected to be exported outside of the country “later in 2014”.
Thomas Oh, Executive Vice President and COO, Kia Motors Corporation adds to the background context: “Although it is Kia’s first globally-sold all-electric vehicle, the Soul EV is our second-generation battery electric vehicle and benefits significantly from our in-depth experience gained from development of the Ray EV and proven daily operations of the Ray EV fleet in Korea for the past three years.”
Not being the first generation of a new technology is always desirable from a consumer’s perspective…
The Soul EV features a 27 kWh battery pack and a claimed range, based on European test cycles, of 212 km or 132 mph, while being able to sprint past sixty in just over eleven seconds; top speed is 145 km/h or 90 mph.
The battery can be charged up to 80 percent of its capacity “in as little as 25 minutes with a 100 kW charger (if available) or 33 minutes using a 50 kW DC charger.”
Juice goes to an 81.4 kW (108 hp) electric motor which has around as much torque as a diesel engine of comparable output would have.
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
