Kia has announced that its new Soul EV will make its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week, boasting a range of 280 miles from a single charge.
Like the forthcoming e-Niro, Kia is offering the Soul EV with a choice of two battery sizes, a 64 kWh long-range model, and a 39.2 kWh standard-range version. Whether we get both in the UK remains to be seen, since Kia has decided to only offer the long-range version of the e-Niro on these shores, so the choice is dependent on market.
Like the e-Niro and group stable-mate – the Hyundai Kona Electric – the Soul EV 64 kWh is powered by a 150 kW electric motor. A WLTP-rated economy figure of 15.7 kWh/100km allows Kia to state that the Soul EV is 24% more efficient than the current best-selling EV in Europe.
Performance times will see the Soul EV complete the 0-62mph sprint in 7.6 seconds in the more powerful version, thanks in part to 395 Nm of torque available from the motor.
The standard-range model is powered by a 100 kW electric motor, with the same torque figure, and 23% more power than the outgoing model. Range is calculated at 172 miles (WLTP) and energy efficiency at 14.5 kWh/100km – 30% more efficient than the best-selling EV in Europe.
Both models will use the CCS Type 2 charging standard, and can be charged at up to 100 kW on DC rapid points. AC charging is covered by the 7.2 kW on-board charger.
The Soul EV also sees the launch of Kia’s UVO Connect package, which uses a smartphone app and the car’s 10.25-inch widescreen unit. The connected car system will provide live updates fo elements such as traffic, weather, points of interest, and parking information – including on- and off-street, plus pricing and availability where possible. It also supports the car’s EV charge point information, including availability and connector compatibility.
The app is available on Apple and Android devices, and allows for the usual EV features such as pre-conditioning, charger status and timer, and vehicle location. Driving data can also be viewed, and Kia has also built in diagnostic capabilities.
In Europe and the UK, the Soul badge will only be available as the Soul EV, though other markets worldwide will have the option of petrol and diesel models too.
