Kia Motors unveiled its 2015 Soul EV at the Chicago Auto Show this week, promising that the vehicle will expand the brands "line of environmentally conscious vehicles," according to a company new release.
The Soul EV will become Kia's first all-electric, zero emissions vehicle available in the U.S.
"The new Soul EV is at the forefront of Kia's 'Clean Mobility' program and will offer an even more environmentally friendly option to our customers when it goes on sale later this year," said Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning, KMA, according to the automaker.
At first the Soul EV will be sold in Oregon and California, followed by several states in the East like New York, New Jersey, and Maryland.
Under the Soul's floor is a 27kWh, air-cooled, 200 watt-hour/kg battery which Kia expects to provide a range of approximately 80-100 miles of real-world driving on a full charge,
Internal testing and evaluation results said the vehicle could pass 100 miles in some cases.
The 360 volt 96-cell lithium-ion polymer battery features a nickel-cobalt-manganese cathode, which increases capacity, and a graphite-based anode, which increases durability, while still reducing the Soul's weight.
Soul EV owners have the option of choosing between four regeneration modes: "Drive" or "Brakes" modes in Eco-mode "Off," and "Drive" or "Brakes" modes in Eco-mode "On," according to the automaker.
"The Soul EV retains the fun and funky style as well as the packaging efficiency and utility that have made the gasoline-powered Soul such a huge hit with consumers," according to Hedrick. "And to that winning combination it adds useable real-world range and multiple charging options, making it the perfect EV for everyone."
The Soul EV can be recharged by using any standard 120v outlet or 240v EV charger.
Two charging ports are standard, like a SAE J1772 port for Level 1 and Level 2 AC, and a CHAdeMo DC fast-charging port (480v).
Recharging times can vary based on how much battery is left and what kind of charger an owner uses.
It could take 24 hours to recharge a completely depleted battery using the 120-volt outlet or under 5 hours using the 240-volt outlet.
The front-wheel drive Soul EV is powered by an 81.4 kW, 109-hp electric motor capable of producing 210 lb.-ft. of torque.
The vehicle can increase from 0 to 60 mph in under 12 seconds.
Pricing for the EV will be released closer towards the vehicle's release date.
Kia will make its new Soul EV available at the end of the third fiscal quarter of 2014.
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