Kia has chosen the Chicago Auto Show as the venue to showcase its new zero-emissions Kia Soul Electric Vehicle (EV). It's the very first mass-produced EV from the South Korean Company. The big news though, is its battery range. By utilising an energy-dense lithium-ion polymer battery, Kia claims a 129- to 160-kilometre range is now possible. Interested? The Kia Soul EV is set to be re-leased into the UK market in late 2014 and may even make its way to Ireland.
Impressive as the EV's range may be, it's the technology underneath that's of most interest to us. Kia has developed a 27kWh, air-cooled, 200Wh/kg battery. To ensure range is maximised, Kia employs a third-generation regenerative braking system to capture a claimed 12 per cent of the car's kinetic energy, and in doing so, feeding it back to the Soul EV's battery during coasting or braking. And to think, all of this is going on while you're simply going to the shops.
Exterior
Well, you won't mistake it for an Elise, that's for certain. It's bold and chunky. In fact, Kia says the design is inspired by the 2012 Kia Track'ster concept and to our eyes keeps many of the good design queues. Like the "floating" roof and the glass area that gives a wraparound look.
Mechanicals
First off, the front-wheel drive Soul EV is powered by an 81.4kW, 110hp electric motor. Sounds small, until you factor in a 285Nm of torque. Which, of course, matters most in city driving. Kia claims a 0-100km/h time of 12 seconds and a top speed of 144km/h. To ensure the Kia EV never creeps up on unsuspecting pedestrians, the Soul comes equipped with a new Virtual Engine Sound System. In essence, it emits an alert whenever the car is travelling under 20km/h or reversing. Driv-ers get to choose four different types of regenerative modes as well, to maximise the range.
Anything else?
The Soul EV didn't have the show stand all to itself. Shown at the Chicago event as well was the revised Optima Hybrid. Although not destined for right-hand drive markets as yet, the improvements include increased fuel efficiency, better aerodynamics, redesigned 16- and 17-inch wheels with front LED lighting.