Kia joins ten other all electric vehicles on the market with the 2015 Kia Soul EV. The company did their homework to make the electric Soul a solid and capable car. It has the latest Lithium-ion batter technology for a high energy density and EPA-certified 93 miles of range.
The relatively quiet electric motor produces 109 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of instant torque. Additional aerodynamic tweaks and insulation make for a quieter cabin experience, which is very important for an electric vehicle with no combustion noises.
The Soul EV comes packed with many features as standard. Good value is something that Kia is well known for. The base model starts at $33,700 (or $26,200 after the $7,500 federal tax credit). The “+” model adds more features like leather trimmed and cooled seats, fog lights, and more. Kia is proud that most of the interior trim uses bio-based materials (based on corn and sugar). The company is watching its carbon footprint with this car.
Even with all this technology and investment the Soul EV will only be sold in California, where 17 EV certified dealerships also get fast DC charging stations for quick (33 minutes to 80%) fill-ups. The rest of us will have to observe how successful this car is from a far.
Watch this TFLcar insider video to learn Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the 2015 Kia Soul EV.
Andre Smirnov is a life-long automotive enthusiast, writer, reporter, and software engineer. He has been a contributor at TFL since 2011.
