This is Kia's first production electric vehicle, based on the familiar high-roofed Soul hatchback.
Like all other Kia models, the Kia Soul EV gets the same seven-year warranty which is a market first for battery-powered vehicles and should help reassure potential purchasers.
In the conversion to battery power, the core of the Soul – the conventional internal combustion engines, transmission and heating system – have all been dumped, the front and rear styling revamped and the structure reworked.
While the upper body structure is carried over, it has been further beefed up with extra strengthening in the B-pillars and sills. Five extra crossmembers have also been bolted across the floorpan to increasing the rigidity of the bodyshell by 27 percent.
The Soul EV also gets a restyled front end and a plastic insert in the grille space, which opens up to reveal the twin charging sockets. The rear bumper and tailgate have also been restyled and LED rear lights have been added.
Inside, the dash is all new and built of higher-quality materials than the conventional models. The EV version gets OLED digital instruments, a large centre touch screen, a rather shapely steering wheel and a new shift lever and surround.
As for the rest of the standard equipment, there is only one trim to choose from but it does come with a comprehensive specification, such as dual-zone climate control, electrically heated and folding door mirrors, keyless start and entry, heated front seats and steering wheel, parking sensors, cruise control and privacy glass. There is also Kia's 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system fitted as standard with dedicated EV monitoring software, sat nav, reversing camera, DAB radio, and USB and Bluetooth connectivity.
