Kia Motors is currently developing an all-electric version of the Kia Soul, scheduled to go on sale in 2014.
by Staff
November 11, 2013
2 min to read
The Kia EV will be the company's first all-electric car in the U.S. Photo courtesy Kia Motors.
Kia Motors is currently developing an all-electric version of the Kia Soul, scheduled to go on sale in 2014. The Kia Soul EV will be the company's first all-electric, zero-emissions vehicle marketed outside of Korea.
With a high-capacity 27 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack, the Soul EV is expected to offer a driving range of more than 120 miles on a single charge, making it practical for everyday use and suited for city commuters. In an effort to maximize efficiency and range, the vehicle recycles back into the battery the energy generated while the car is coasting and braking.
Ad Loading...
“The new Soul EV will be at the forefront of Kia’s ‘Clean Mobility’ program, which aims to provide environmentally-friendly vehicles to our customers around the world, when it goes on sale globally next year,” said Orth Hedrick, Kia Motors America’s executive director of product planning. “Although it is Kia’s first globally sold all-electric vehicle, the Soul EV is our second-generation battery electric vehicle and significantly benefits from the in-depth knowledge gained during development of the Ray EV sold in Korea.”
The Soul EV can be plugged into any standard outlet, recharging in approximately five hours for a fully depleted battery using a standard 240v outlet, or 25 minutes on “fast” charge with 100 kW output.
The front-wheel-drive Soul EV prototype test cars currently under development are built on modified versions of the 2014 Kia Soul and are powered by a 109hp electric motor, producing 210 lb.-ft. of torque. The motor delivers its power to the front wheels through a single speed constant ratio gear reduction unit, accelerating from 0-62 mph in less than 12 seconds with a top speed in the region of 90 mph.
Fleet managers are done with the debate—and focused on execution. Learn how to build a practical electrification strategy that aligns infrastructure, operations, and financing while keeping costs controlled and deployment scalable with support from Blink Charging. Discover how smart planning today positions fleets for long-term performance and ROI.
New industry group data revealed that light-duty electric vehicle sales are hitting record market share and volumes, while commercial EV volume dipped. What’s driving the fluctuations?
For fleet managers, fuel is one of the biggest line items in the budget — and it's one hybrids can shrink without changing how your people work. Download the eBook to see the numbers, understand the technology, and get a step-by-step guide to making the switch.
With the expiration of federal incentives, EV success now hinges less on government policy and more on discounts, battery tech progress, increased range, and broader infrastructure.
Fleet operators shared their challenges during an annual conference that embraced the latest advances across all aspects of running private- and public-sector vehicles.
