KIA has started selling the electric version of the Soul in the UK. The new car costs £24,995 after the government’s £5,000 Plug-in Car Grant has been applied (BIK calculations are based on the pre PICG price).
Although the Soul EV enters an increasingly crowded market place for electric cars, it does have a few interesting features up its sleeve that might give it an edge.
Battery capacity, for example, at 27 Kwh, is a useful ten to fifteen per cent more than rivals such as the Nissan Leaf and electric Golf.
That gives a maximum range of 132 miles, which is a little more than the figures claimed for most of the competition. Kia says the lithium in polymer batteries have a higher energy density than those fitted to other current EVs. The battery pack is mounted beneath the car.
The Soul EV’s electric motor develops the equivalent of 109bhp, and 285 Nm of torque, which is available immediately at low revs. Top speed is 90mph and 0-60mph comes up in 10.8 seconds. A Virtual Engine Sound system at low speeds in both forward and reverse gears alerts pedestrians and cyclists to the presence of the Soul EV.
Kia expects to sell between 100 and 200 Soul EVs in the first year of sales in UK – in part because supply from Korea is expected to be extremely limited.
The Soul EV will be available from a network of 13 specially trained UK dealers, two of which are located within the M25.
The Soul EV also benefits from Kia’s generous seven-year, 100,000 mile warranty.
