At the Chicago Auto Show, held in February 2014, the world presentation of the first global electric vehicle of the KIA brand, the Soul EV SUV, took place. At the end of the same year, the "green" car went on sale in the North American market, and in early 2015 it reached European countries.
The electric "Soul" as a whole outwardly repeats the style of the traditional version of the crossover, but it still has a number of visible differences - a different "pattern" of lighting equipment, a large overlay on the radiator grille, redesigned bumpers and 16-inch "rollers" of an aerodynamic shape.
The external dimensions of the electric car are completely identical to those of a regular KIA Soul: 4140 mm in length, 1800 mm in width and 1605 mm in height. The Korean SUV has a wheelbase of 2,570 mm, and its ground clearance is 160 mm.
Salon KIA Soul EV differs from a standard car only in a specific instrument cluster, several buttons, color scheme and finishing materials, otherwise it is on par.
The riders of the first and second rows of seats are offered ample headroom in each direction, although the legroom on the back sofa is slightly less than in the traditional Soul.
The luggage compartment volume of a Korean electric car varies from 250 to 890 liters, depending on the position of the back of the "gallery", and under the raised floor there are hidden a repair kit and wires for charging from a household network or a "fast" station.
Specifications. The driving force for the KIA Soul EV is a 110-horsepower electric motor that generates 285 Nm of torque from the very start, which is paired with a reduction gear and a front-wheel drive transmission. The motor is "powered" by a polymer lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 27 kWh, located under the floor and providing a mileage of up to 167 km without recharging.
To the first hundred, the electric crossover is capable of accelerating in 11.2 seconds, gaining a top speed of 145 km / h.
The electric Soul can be recharged from ordinary household outlets for 120V or 240V, and the full cycle of "saturation" of the batteries takes up to 5 hours. With a "fast" charger at 480V, it only takes 35 minutes to replenish 80% of the energy.
In technical terms, the "EV-modification" is identical to a simple "Soul": a front-wheel drive platform with independent MacPherson struts in front and a semi-independent scheme with a torsion beam at the rear, electric power steering and fully disc brakes, supplemented by electronic assistants.
Options and prices. On the US market, KIA Soul EV is offered at a price of $ 33,700, but a budget version of the EV-e is also available, for which they ask for a minimum of $ 31,950.
By default, the electric car is equipped with heated front seats and steering wheel, a multimedia system, an air conditioner, 16-inch wheels, a quick charge port, an on-board charger and other useful functions.
