FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: Kia joins the electric car charge

Korean carmaker Kia announced at the Frankfurt motor show overnight that it would join the electric car revolution.In fact, its first, fully-electric car will be in showrooms by 2014, the maker said, hinting that the technology would appear first in a compact SUV.

That's most likely to mean the Soul – or at least the next generation of the square-rigged compact.

Although the Soul looks like a city cruiser, the Korean maker classifies it internally as a crossover, or recreational vehicle. Kia Australia has already requested the EV version if it is made in right-hand-drive. That said, the company has reservations about the level of government support Australian authorities are offering the expensive, emerging technology.

"We're definitely asking for the car," said Nick Reid, senior product manager for Kia Australia.

"At the moment Australia is probably not leading the world in regard to electric vehicles because our government doesn't really offer any subsidies. But if you look at the trend, in the next 18 months we're going to see the [Nissan] Leaf, the [Holden] Volt and the plug-in [Toyota] Prius."

Reid said an emissions trading scheme could create demand for electric cars as big businesses try to cut their CO2 outputs.

"Sure, the ETS is some motivation and the big polluters will have to cut their CO2 outputs and reduce the CO2 output of their fleets. One of the ways to get CO2 down is to look at an electric car."

Pricing is yet to be confirmed but the electric Soul – due to coincide with the release of the all-new model due in 2014. Estimates suggest, however, it will cost at least double that of the regular version, with a sticker price of more than $40,000.