Kia Motors has unveiled its first ever mass-production electric vehicle, the Soul EV at the Chicago Auto Show.
Its press release states it is set to go on sale in the United States market in third quarter of 2014 and in Europe and the UK after that, the Soul EV utilises a highly energy-dense lithium-ion polymer battery. Located beneath the floor, the 27kWh, air-cooled, 200 watt-hour/kg battery is expected to yield a range of approximately 80-100 miles of real-world driving on a full charge, with internal testing and evaluation results exceeding 100 miles in some instances.
The battery is a 360 volt 96-cell lithium-ion polymer battery, whilst the Soul EV uses Kia's third-generation regenerative braking system to capture up to 12 percent of the car's kinetic energy.
Two charging ports are standard, including a SAE J1772 port for Level 1 and Level 2 AC, and a CHAdeMo DC fast-charging port (480v).
The front-wheel drive Soul EV is powered by an 81.4 kW, 109-hp electric motor, producing 210 lb.-ft. of torque. The liquid-cooled AC synchronous permanent magnet motor uses multi-layer magnets to help improve efficiency and reduce the whine that's commonly experienced with other electric vehicles.
No news on pricing yet.
