What's the news?
Kia has announced that the new Soul crossover will be available with an all-electric powertrain that is to be sold worldwide from the second half of 2014. The Kia Soul EV will also be the first all-electric vehicle in the company's history to be sold outside of Korea.
Exterior
To set the all-electric Soul apart from the rest of the range, Kia has made some subtle differences. Peel away the black camouflage from the model above and we're told you'll find a new-look body inspired by the 2012 Track'ster concept. There are projection headlamps and LED light clusters fitted for the EV version. Kia has also replaced the standard alloys with aerodynamically efficient 16-inch items. We would also expect to see Kia's signature grille to be closed off for the electrically-powered model.
Interior
The dashboard is said to feature something called a 'Supervision' instrument cluster as well as an eight-inch display that resides between the driver and passenger. To keep up its green pretensions, Kia has also used Bio Plastic, Bio Foam, Bio Fabric and many other organic products to keep the cabin as ecological as possible. In addition, the Soul EV has been fitted with a different type of soundproofing, which, in conjunction with the lack of engine noise, is said to keep the cabin extremely quiet. Kia lays claim to "refinement levels similar to those of premium vehicles."
Mechanicals
This is the area we're really interested in, as the Soul EV builds on the research Kia has undertaken with its domestically-sold Ray EV that was launched back in 2011. The result is an 81.4kW electric motor that sends its 285Nm of torque to the front wheels. The 0-100km/h sprint has been timed at less than 12 seconds, and a top speed of 145km/h has been recorded. Thanks to its 27kWh battery pack and regenerative braking, the Kia Soul EV has an official range of more than 200 kilometres between charges, which itself is claimed to only take 25 minutes from a 100kW fast-charging point. Recharging from a standard household plug socket takes somewhere in the region of five hours.
To keep things safe for passers-by who may not be aware of the approach of the near-silent Soul EV, the model has been equipped with a Virtual Engine Sound System (VESS) that emits an audio alert when travelling below 20km/h - and when reversing.
Anything else?
The 2014 Kia Soul EV is currently undergoing extensive testing with camouflaged models at the company's Research and Development Centre in Namyang, Korea; as well as in both Europe and North America. Sales for the Irish market have yet to be confirmed.