Kia Soul EV 2015

[KoLiKoV]

 

 

Kia in its turn in the dance of zero-emission vehicles with Soul EV 2015. EV was developed from the platform of the Soul in conventional engine, newly redesigned for 2014; so it also shows an urban look young and vibrant.

 

A Soul to Soul Power

Kia has done a great job to make the electric car easy to use. It comes with two charging sockets: one of SAE J1772 (levels 1 and 2 AC) and a quick-charging CHAdeMO 480 volts. With a 120 volt power supply, it takes 24 hours for a full charge; significantly decreases the time (a little over four hours) with a 240 volt power supply. One can also do a quick charge (80% of the maximum capacity) in only 24 minutes using a 100 kW charger. With a conventional charger 50 kW must be 33 minutes.

 

Located under the floor, the battery lithium-ion polymer has a capacity of 27 kWh (3 more than the current industry standard). It gives the Soul a range that can reach up to 149 km depending on the manufacturer. At present, the only car that displays a greater autonomy is the Tesla Model S. Kia has added spacers under the battery to protect it, which also had the effect of increasing the torsional rigidity of the chassis 5 9%.

 

The permanent magnet synchronous motor is powered by direct current at a voltage of 360 volts. It produces 109 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of instant torque (torque delivery is one of the advantages of electric motors). It is connected to the front wheels through a transmission to a single report and announced a top speed of 145 km / h. Soul accelerates from 0 to 60 miles / h (96 km / h) in 11.2 seconds.

 

Battery reduced very little space inside from the Soul gasoline engine. Rear passengers lose less than 8 cm legroom and cargo space in the back is the same (512 liters).

 

Electric and playful

Soul displays a square look, but thanks to her curves placed in the right places, it gives off an overall allure rather joyous. Outside, only a few clues distinguish EV her twin conventional engine, including a coordinated color plate that replaces the grille (both loading terminals are hidden under the plate) and specific logos. EV buyers will also receive an exclusive choice of three two-tone paint.

 

Side interior, nothing comes emphasize just taken place in an electric car (except complete silence after pressing the start button). The fit and finish are of high quality and everything is prepared in the conventional way: no strange commands or [CENSORED]uristic decor. The cabin is spacious for all occupants and rear passengers will notice barely lost to centimeters legroom.

 

Soul EV has an instrumentation own. Directly in front of the driver, there is an LED display that indicates the charge level of the battery, the available range, power consumption and speed. In the center, there is a multimedia touchscreen that can display 8-inch navigation system, entertainment system or the data on the battery charge and power consumption.

 

In the center console, there is a shift lever that works just like a conventional automatic transmission. The only difference is in the "Drive" position, there is a "B" position that engages the regenerative braking mode.

 

Soul EV has undergone extensive testing in cold weather. The Luxury variant has a unique feature: a heat pump that transports to the cabin heat from the electrical components. This device allows to reduce electricity consumption by 27% compared to the base EV when using the heating system.

 

On the road

If we except some noise generated by the engine driving the EV Soul is very similar to that of a conventional car. Acceleration is more than enough to beat traffic as needed. At cruising speeds, it is very well insulated from the noise of the wind and tires.

When selecting the "B" mode on the gear lever, the operation of the regenerative braking can become intrusive, to the point that practically no need to press the brake pedal. On long runs, it often proved more practical to return to "Drive" position; the system becomes much less active, which helps maintain a steady speed while still garnering a certain amount of energy in the battery.

 

Soul EV has a rigid frame and flexible suspension, which makes it very comfortable to drive in town. Its only flaw for handling comes tires with very low rolling resistance. According to the manufacturer, they offer a lowered resistance of 10% compared to conventional low-resistance tires. But their grip is also reduced, and they sometimes tend to squeal when you take turns with enthusiasm.

 

Our test drive of 90 km was composed equally of city driving and highway driving. During this tour, I drove normally, without adopting a particular behavior to save energy (except close the air conditioner and open the windows). When parking the EV, the battery still contained 26% of its charge.

 

An interesting purchase

Besides the financial incentives offered by governments, Soul basic EV is offered at $ 34,995 ($ 37,995 plan for the Luxury model). It comes standard with a long list of equipment. Its base price is a little higher than that of the Nissan Leaf ($ 31,789), but it is less well equipped and autonomy announced is below 15%.

 

The Quebec government offers rebates for electric cars that can be up to $ 8,000, plus a rebate of $ 1000 for a charger for the home. In Ontario, these amounts are $ 8,500 and $ 1,000. For its part, Kia offers a free 240-watt charger to the new owners of a Soul EV, bringing the total of financial incentives to nearly $ 10,000.

 

Electric Soul is equipped with all safety devices and driving support her twin gasoline, which includes: six airbags, antilock brakes, stabilization, assist device when braking from emergency start device side, pressure monitoring tires, rearview camera. Sonar front and rear horn pedestrian (when driving less than 20 km / h) optional.

 

Only 50 Kia Soul EV will be imported to Canada this year. They will be distributed among 11 dealers in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. So if you are looking for a practical and stylish electric car, place your order as soon as possible....