Going Electric: Kia Soul EV Slated for US in 2014, Could Debut Next Year

We’ve spied the 2014 Kia Soul out testing before, and although the prototype didn’t appear to be full of surprises, a new report from Autocar suggests the most intriguing element of the next-generation subcompact hatchback is yet to come. An electrified version of the Soul is rumored to arrive on our shores in calendar-year 2014, and make its debut sometime next year in the U.S.

Though an electric Soul would be the first Kia EV in the U.S. market, it wouldn’t be the automaker’s first crack at an EV. The Korean market-exclusive Kia Ray EV, introduced last year, has a range of up to 86 miles on a single charge, and is powered by a 50kW electric motor that puts out 129 lb-ft. or torque. Its 16.4kWh lithium-ion battery can be fast-charged in just 25 minutes, and slow-charged in six hours. Although it’s unknown what would power the Soul EV, the Kia Ray could give us a hint at what we can expect.

The quirky box car is already a hot item in the U.S. So far this year, Kia’s second best-seller has sold 93,356 copies — more than the Sportage and Forte combined. Although the Soul doesn’t necessarily need help in the sales department, a low-volume EV could give Kia some green credibility. A Soul EV could also compete with other ultra-low volume EVs including the upcoming Fiat 500 BEV, Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Nissan Leaf, and Honda Fit EV.

Content Source: Google News (Connotate)