Jeremy Bass•30 Aug 2013
NEWS
SPY PICS: More of Kia's electric soul revealed
Kia will likely unveil its Soul EV in the first half of next year. But don't expect to see it in Australia before 2016 – if thenSpy snappers at Automedia have grabbed more shots of an all-electric variant of Kia’s second-generation Soul, first uncovered in June.
The EV is all Soul, with subtle giveaways like a charge plug in place of a tank inlet under the refuel flap, the absence of an exhaust outlet and aero wheel covers.
Kia plans for the second generation of the Rio-based Soul to launch globally later this year, with the Aussie release to follow in Q1 2014.
The EV version of the Soul is thought unlikely to make it to market before 2016, but the company is rumoured to be preparing a global reveal in the first half of 2014 – most likely at either the Chicago motor show in February or in New York in April.
Media speculation gives the car a 200km range with a 0-100km/h sprint time under 12 seconds, a 140km/h top speed and European launch price around 22K Euros. Asked for confirmation of any of this, Kia Australia spokesman Kevin Hepworth said the company will remain tight-lipped on all technical details of the car until its global reveal next year, and on pricing probably some way beyond that.
At least in the early stages, the company will target urban markets in Europe, the US and China for the car. Asked if there was any notion of bringing it Down Under, Mr Hepworth told motoring.com.au the company has no such plans.
“That wouldn’t be easy, given the questionable relevance of EVs Down Under at this stage,” he said. “Especially since we don’t sell a huge number of Souls here anyway.”
The car recorded 353 sales in Australia in 2012.
More important are a number of other factors in the mix in assessing the viability of EVs, he said.
“Not least its well-to-wheels greenness in this country. While Australia’s grid remains as skewed towards coal power as it is, an EV is effectively a fossil fuel car anyway.”
The company is keen to get the conventional incarnation to market, however.
“It’s played an important part in our lineup as one of Kia’s iconic designs,” he said.
The car has surprised the company by finding much wider appeal than its original US gen-Y target market. In Australia, it has accrued a local buyer base older than expected, Mr Hepworth said.
“But I don’t think that should have been a surprise – it’s ideal for empty-nesters. It’s compact on the outside, big inside and highly manoeuvrable – easy to keep connection with all corners as you get around car parks, for instance.
Longer and broader than the current Soul, the new generation draws on the aesthetics of the Track’ster concept, evident in the trapezoidal lower air intake up front and the “floating” body-coloured panel integrated into the tailgate. It’s also better insulated throughout, and about 30 per cent stiffer in the body.
Australian specs and pricing will be announced closer to launch.
– with Automedia
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Written byJeremy Bass
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
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