START OF PRODUCTION FOR ALL-ELECTRIC KIA SOUL EV

EUROPEAN DEBUT FOR KIA SOUL EV AT GENEVA

• Soul EV benefits from class-leading battery cell energy density
• Soul EV debuts new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technologies to reduce energy consumption
• Increased torsional rigidity, revised suspension and low centre of gravity improves ride comfort
• The only EV to benefit from a seven year / 100,000 mile warranty

The Kia Soul EV today made its European debut at the 84th Salon International de l’Automobile in Geneva.  Embodying the iconic design of the recently-launched second-generation Kia Soul, the Soul EV will become the brand’s first globally-sold electric vehicle when production starts in the second half of 2014.

Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Motors Europe, said: “Not only is the Soul EV a stylish, eye-catching car to be seen in, but it will also bring with it the same high quality that buyers expect from the Kia brand. When the car goes on sale across Europe later in the year, the Soul EV will benefit from Kia’s unique 7-Year, 100,000 mile warranty, making it the only electric vehicle available with such a comprehensive warranty.

“It will be a car for the head and for the heart, and the Soul EV embodies our commitment to offering European customers stylish, environmentally-responsible vehicles with an industry-leading warranty and excellent value for money.”

Iconic design for a modern product

As with the standard internal combustion-powered model, the Soul EV introduces a thoroughly fresh, more grown-up appearance, which makes it instantly recognisable as a Soul. The Soul EV differs itself from the rest of the 2014 Soul range with a two-tone colour scheme with contrasting ‘floating roof’, unique 16-inch alloy wheel design and LED taillights, as well as a new ‘eco electric’ badge on the wing at the base of the A-pillar. The car receives unique front and rear fascias, incorporating a larger front grille and charging ports.

The Soul EV also features a new interior, with higher quality materials and a more driver-focused design. It is the very first Kia model to be fitted with the brand’s new OLED (organic LED) instrument cluster, while the interior’s light two-tone colour scheme gives the cabin an airy, open atmosphere. A double-injection moulded fascia further improves the high quality feel of the soft-touch dashboard.

The Soul’s AVN (audio-visual navigation) system is carried over as standard in the Soul EV, with additional EV-only features for the new model, including scheduled ventilation and charging. A number of new features designed to minimise range anxiety are included as standard, providing the driver with full details on the car’s energy consumption, a charging station search function and a navigation system which displays the vehicle’s total driveable range.

Class-leading battery energy density

The Soul EV is powered by an 81.4 kW electric motor, producing 285 Nm of torque, and a high-capacity 27 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack located beneath the cabin. The motor delivers its power to the front wheels through a single speed reduction gear set, allowing the Soul EV to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in under 12 seconds, going on to a top speed of 145 kph (90 mph). Kia engineers are targeting a driving range of around 200 km (124 miles).

While the efficient packaging of the electric motor and electronic systems meant engineers were able to reduce weight and minimise the intrusion of the battery pack on cabin space, the Soul EV benefits from class-leading 200 Wh/kg battery cell energy density, enabling the battery to store greater amounts of electric energy relative to its weight.

The battery pack, developed jointly over the last three years by Kia Motors and SK Innovation in Korea, has been engineered for greater efficiency, with optimisation of the electrolyte formulation designed to maintain the battery’s performance at high and low temperatures. Low-resistance nickel cobalt manganese cathodes and carbon graphite anodes reduce electric resistance and allow more efficient energy discharge.

The use of lithium-ion polymer batteries (compared to more commonplace lithium-ion batteries) allows for greater energy density, with fewer parts and a simpler cell structure, lower cost production, greater potential for heat management and greater flexibility in terms of packaging.

Building on Kia’s pursuit of greater vehicle crash safety performance, the battery features a ceramic-coated separator within the cell itself to protect the unit, as well as overcharge protection, which monitors electrical current and battery temperature.

To maximise the efficiency and potential range of the Soul EV, regenerative braking captures and recycles the car’s kinetic energy while it is coasting and braking. Users can choose between three regenerative braking modes depending on the amount of braking support and regenerative power required.

Soul EV owners can choose between two different driving modes, ‘Drive’ and ‘Brake’, with the latter producing the most energy recuperation from the regenerative braking system.

Each of these driving settings are also available in a special Eco-mode, which extends the Soul EV’s driving range by optimising the performance and energy consumption of the HVAC system and the electric motor.

A battery heating system is also fitted to the Soul EV, designed to insulate and warm up the battery in order to minimise the adverse effects of sub-zero temperatures on battery charge.

The 6.6 kW AC on-board charger enables the Soul EV to be fully charged within five hours depending on the local electricity supply. An 80 per cent charge can be achieved in as little as 25 minutes with a 100 kW DC charger (33 minutes at 50 kW).

New HVAC efficiency technologies

Early on in the development of the Soul EV, Kia engineers identified the need to dramatically reduce energy consumption of the HVAC systems. In the worst case scenario, the maximum use of HVAC under extreme cold conditions could potentially reduce an electric vehicle’s effective range by up to 50 per cent.

To address this challenge, Kia engineers implemented four new HVAC technologies designed to reduce energy usage in the Soul EV – a highly efficient new heat pump, smart air intake control, individual ventilation (for driver only) and scheduled ventilation.

The new heat pump utilises waste heat from the air-conditioning and electrical systems to improve the energy efficiency of the heating and ventilation system and improve the car’s ability to efficiently heat up the cabin, thus minimising electricity consumption from the battery.

This system, made up of a compressor, evaporator and condenser, allows the Soul EV’s heating and ventilation system to harness the waste heat given off by electrical components. Instead of relying entirely on the electricity from the battery to heat the cabin to the driver’s desired temperature, the heat pump recycles heat energy emitted by the electronics to increase the efficiency of the heating and ventilation systems.

By reducing the load on the battery, the heat pump cuts energy consumption by the heating system and increases the overall driving range of the Soul EV.

Working in conjunction with the heat pump, the Soul EV is also fitted with a new smart air intake control system, which monitors and controls the amount of air entering and exiting the vehicle, as well as the humidity level in the cabin.

Air intake control recycles the air that has already been heated or cooled by the HVAC system, then carefully introduces the optimum amount of fresh air to the cabin. By better controlling the air flow inside the vehicle, the HVAC system is able to cool or heat the cabin more efficiently and minimise the use of the heating or air-conditioning during a drive. The system relies on a humidity sensor, temperature control and an intake actuator to monitor and control the in-flow of fresh air to the cabin.

The Soul EV is fitted with a new individual ventilation system – the first time such technology has been introduced to any production vehicle. This reduces energy consumption by only providing ventilation and heating to the driver, completely shutting off heating and ventilation to the foot-well and dashboard ventilation on the passenger side. This is in contrast to existing vehicles on the road, in which closing the vents merely diverts hot or cold air through other vents in the car while energy consumption remains the same.

The individual ventilation system, activated using the ‘driver only’ button on the dashboard, minimises HVAC energy use to provide a comfortable driver-side temperature when driving alone, resulting in a more efficient heating system and greater driving range.

A first in a Kia vehicle, the Soul EV is equipped with a new pre-conditioning or scheduled ventilation system. Accessing the car’s heating system through the car’s HMI interface, users can schedule their vehicle to pre-heat or pre-cool the cabin 30 minutes before they start the car. The system works while the car is plugged in and reduces load on the battery when the Soul EV starts running. Instead, the cabin is cooled or heated using power from the grid, ensuring the vehicle is already at the driver’s preferred temperature before departure.

Efficient EV packaging

While almost the entire upper body structure is carried over from the standard internal combustion-powered 2014 Soul, a number of improvements have been introduced to the Soul EV to further improve bodyshell stiffness and ensure that minimal intrusion on the cabin space results from the mounting of the battery pack.

Principal among these changes is the addition of five cross-members, bolted below the vehicle body for battery support and increased torsional rigidity. A higher proportion of ultra-high tensile steel is also adopted for the Soul EV (up from 35.0 per cent of the body to 37.1), with the application of the steel further strengthening the B-pillar and sills. The Soul EV therefore benefits from a 27 per cent improvement in torsional rigidity compared with the standard vehicle (itself 29 per cent stiffer than the first-generation Soul).

One of the key aims of Kia’s engineers in the development of the vehicle was to ensure that the addition of the battery pack under the cabin had a minimal effect on the Soul’s generous interior space. As a result, rear passenger legroom is reduced by just 80 mm, though this reduction is countered by changes to the rear seat cushion, which raises passengers’ knees and gives them more space. The undertray storage in the boot of the standard car now holds the vehicle’s charging cable. Like the standard car, motorists can find the car’s tyre mobility kit stored beneath the undertray.

Overall, the Soul EV suffers minimal battery intrusion compared to competitors. The exterior dimensions of the Soul EV are identical to those of the gasoline and diesel-powered versions of the car.

Improved ride and handling for comfortable urban driving

The Soul EV has been engineered to provide stable handling characteristics and a comfortable ride in urban environments, and with a stiffer bodyshell than the standard Soul, Kia engineers have been able to improve ride comfort of the electric model.

The battery’s location – beneath the floor of the cabin – has resulted in a lower centre of gravity and a greater feeling of stability, which helps ride and handling and ensures that the Soul EV remains true to the Soul’s fun-to-drive reputation.

Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics are also improved in the Soul EV. With the absence of gasoline or diesel engine noise, and less whine from the electric motor than in rival vehicles, Kia’s goal was to significantly reduce mechanical buzz, road roar and wind noise to maximise the vehicle’s refinement.

Increased dampening in the suspension, as well as 15 per cent stiffer alloy wheels, delivered a reduction in vibration, while a battery cover along the floor of the vehicle has been added to improve aerodynamic performance and reduce wind rush. Greater use of bio-friendly soundproofing material – particularly in the dashboard, under the bonnet and at the base of the windscreen – has also improved NVH.

Finally, the Soul EV is fitted with super-low rolling resistance tyres. Designed by Kumho and Nexen specifically for the Soul EV, the new 205/60R16 tyres – made up of a low resistance compound and tyre profile – reduce rolling resistance by 10 per cent, crucially without impacting on ride comfort, handling, NVH or braking distance.

 

ADVANCED BATTERY FOR KIA SOUL EV

2015 KIA SOUL EV PRICING ANNOUNCED

• Kia’s first battery-electric vehicle to be sold globally
• Class-leading range of up to 132 miles   
• Class-leading energy density of 200 Wh/kg
• Kia innovations extend the distance the car can travel on a charge
• Fun styling and practical interior – just like any other Soul
• Seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty
• Priced at £24,995 after £5,000 government grant

With the arrival today of the Soul EV, Kia becomes one of only a handful of auto manufacturers offering a battery-electric car for sale in the UK. There is just one highly equipped model, priced at £24,995 after the government’s £5,000 Plug-in Car Grant.

The Soul EV is the result of almost 30 years of research and development by Kia into the feasibility of electric cars. Now, with battery technology having reached a mature stage and emissions-based taxation providing an incentive for consumers to ‘go electric’, the time is right for the Soul EV.

All those years of research have endowed the Soul EV with a range of up to 132 miles (212 kilometres) on a single charge. Kia and SK Innovation, a division of Korea’s largest petro-chemicals company, have developed innovative lithium-ion polymer batteries with a greater energy density – 200 Watt-hours per kilogram of weight – than those in any comparable model. A heating and cooling system keeps them at an optimum operating temperature, which helps to extend the Soul EV’s range.

Further contributions to the class-leading range include the nickel-rich material used for the cathodes (the terminals from which the electric current leaves the batteries); regenerative braking, which tops up the batteries when coasting or slowing down; a unique air conditioning system which can be set to heat or cool only one side of the car when the driver is travelling alone; additional aerodynamic features beneath the car compared with the combustion-engined version; and super-low-rolling-resistance tyres, which can reduce energy consumption by as much as ten per cent over regular low-rolling-resistance tyres.

Batteries mounted beneath the car

The Soul EV’s batteries have an energy storage capacity of 27 kilowatt-hours – more than its competitors. They are mounted beneath the car in a special casing which protects them from stone or gravel damage and spray thrown up by the wheels. The ducts to heat and cool them are located beneath the rear passenger seats.

The remainder of the electric drive components are mounted beneath the bonnet, where the internal combustion engine would normally be located. Because an electric motor requires less cooling than a petrol or diesel engine, the front of the Soul EV has been blanked off where the radiator grille would normally be found. This brings aerodynamic benefits.

The charging ports are hidden behind a panel in this blanked-off section. Owners have the option of recharging the batteries from a standard domestic socket, via the Kia-branded wallbox supplied as standard with the Soul EV or at a public fast charger, or through a public rapid charger. Using a UK 230-volt domestic power supply, the Soul EV can be fully recharged in 10 to 13 hours. With the wallbox or at a public fast-charge point, the time is reduced to around five hours. The Soul EV is supplied with a customised red adapter cable stored in a smart Kia-branded pouch for this form of charging. Alternatively, through a public rapid charger the batteries can be topped up to 80 per cent of capacity – the maximum permissible with this type of system – in 33 minutes.

Fun to drive

The Soul EV has a fun-to-drive character. Its electric motor develops 81.4 kilowatts – the equivalent of 109bhp in a combustion-engined model – with 285 Nm of torque available immediately upon drive-away. This makes the Soul EV particularly brisk in the kind of stop-start urban driving where it is designed to operate. It is also extremely smooth and silent – so quiet that it is fitted with a Virtual Engine Sound system at low speeds in both forward and reverse gears to alert pedestrians and cyclists that it is in the vicinity.

The Soul EV has a top speed of 90mph and can accelerate from 0-60mph in 10.8 seconds, so it is perfectly capable of keeping pace with the flow of urban traffic. Of greater relevance, it accelerates on the move, cruises and tackles gradients with minimal power usage, which all contribute towards its long range. It can climb slopes of up to one-in-three.

The underfloor location of the batteries and the reduced weight beneath the bonnet compared with a combustion-engined Soul have lowered the centre of gravity and shifted the weight bias further to the rear, endowing the EV with a distinctive fun-to-drive character. The Soul EV has bespoke suspension tuning to take into account its 274.5kg battery system. Kia’s Motor Driven Power Steering system with Flex Steer, the variable-assistance function which allows drivers to adjust the degree of assistance according to preference and where the car is being driven, is standard.

Whenever the driver coasts or brakes, kinetic energy (energy caused by motion), which is normally wasted, is captured and channeled into the batteries through the regenerative braking system. The Soul EV’s range is therefore constantly being topped up on the move, particularly in urban traffic where stops and restarts are frequent.

To help the driver maximise the car’s range, the Soul EV has two different performance levels – DRIVE and BRAKE – both of which can additionally be operated in ECO mode as a further means of extending the car’s range. The driver is therefore able to vary the recharging effect of the regenerative braking system and the performance of the car according to the requirements at any particular time. A 3.5-inch OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) information cluster monitors the driver’s energy efficiency and displays the energy flow, battery level, charging time and the selected settings for the air conditioning system.

The Soul EV has an intelligent heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system which includes a Heat Pump to recycle air that has already been heated or cooled within the cabin. The HVAC system permits only enough fresh air to be added to maintain the driver’s desired temperature and humidity. The air conditioning system can be programmed to pre-heat or pre-cool the cabin while the car is still plugged into a charger to minimise drain on the battery once the driver sets off.

A spacious, stylish interior with a unique twist

Kia’s goals with the Soul EV were not only that it should have a class-leading range, but that it should remain as close to the combustion-engined versions as possible. This allows it to be built on the same production line at the Gwangju plant in Korea, minimising manufacturing complexity and cost, which in turn makes it more affordable.

Outwardly, the only obvious differences between the Soul EV and the models powered by internal combustion engines are the front end devoid of a radiator grille, the absence of a fuel filler flap and the unique rear light clusters. Fresh, funky, original and bold, the Soul EV – like its combustion-engined counterparts – has its roots in the Track’ster concept from the 2012 Chicago Auto Show.

The Soul EV has the same proportions and dimensions as the combustion-engined versions, with an upright stance, square shoulders and distinctive bumper flares. The structural changes that have been made to accommodate the battery pack are hidden out of view, beneath the floor.

It was a major challenge for Kia’s designers and engineers to reshape the floor without affecting passenger space and versatility. The only impact is an 80mm reduction in rear-seat legroom, for which Kia has compensated by changing the materials used for the rear-seat construction. The Soul EV, like any other Soul, is therefore a compact but spacious five-seat crossover with a large boot accessed through a wide-opening, high-lift tailgate. Luggage capacity is 281 litres – a reduction of 31 litres compared with other versions of the Soul because the luggage undertray is used to house both charging cables. With the 60:40 split rear seats lowered, luggage capacity is 891 litres. A tyre inflation kit is provided in case of a puncture.

In keeping with its environmentally friendly powertrain, the Soul EV’s cabin is trimmed in ‘green’ materials wherever possible. This has led to the car being awarded UL Environment Validation for using bio-based organic carbon content for 10 per cent of its interior trim. UL (Underwriters Laboratories) is a global independent safety science company. Bio-degradable plastic, bio-foam and bio-fabric are all used in the Soul EV’s interior.

The Soul EV in the UK

The Soul EV is available in a choice of two colour schemes – Caribbean Blue metallic with a Clear White roof, or Titanium Silver metallic. The interior upholstery in both cases is Grey Eco cloth with blue stitching, while the fascia panel, door inserts and gear selector are finished in High-gloss White. The instrument cluster housing, door inserts, steering wheel and gearshifter are trimmed in leather.

Standard EV features include an eight-inch touch-screen with European mapping, traffic messaging channel, reversing camera and charging point locator; automatic air conditioning with the driver-only function; heated front seats; a smart key with a motor start-stop button; projection headlights with LED daytime running lamps; front foglamps; privacy glass on the rear windows and tailgate; 16-inch lightweight alloy wheels with super-low-rolling-resistance tyres; two charge points and the Heat Pump system. The car is also supplied with the wallbox charger and Virtual Engine Sound.

Also included in the standard specification are cruise control with a speed limiter, an electronic parking brake, front and rear electric windows, electrically folding adjustable heated door mirrors with LED indicators, solar glass for the windscreen and front windows, automatic light control with a follow-me-home function, LED rear combination and high-mounted brake lights, a 3.5-inch OLED supervision instrument cluster with specific EV information display, a trip computer, front speaker mood lights, driver’s seat height adjustment, a heated steering wheel, front and rear parking sensors and a luggage cargo screen plus retaining net.

In-car entertainment includes a DAB RDS radio with MP3 compatibility, steering wheel-mounted controls, USB and AUX ports and Bluetooth with voice recognition and music streaming. Safety is taken care of by Anti-lock Brakes with Emergency Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Control, Vehicle Stability Management, Hill-start Assist, Emergency Stop Signalling, a Tyre Pressure Monitoring system and six airbags.

Kia expects to sell between 100 and 200 Soul EVs in the first year of sales in UK, with supply from the factory in Korea extremely limited. It is available from a network of 13 specially trained UK dealers, two of which are located within the M25. Apart from qualifying for the UK Government’s Plug-in Car Grant, it is currently exempt from UK road tax (VED), company car tax (BIK) and the London Congestion Charge. Insurance is group 19.

Warranty and Servicing

In common with all Kias, the Soul EV is covered by Kia’s seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, which includes all labour and parts except those subject to normal wear and tear. The warranty is transferable if the car is sold before the time/mileage limit expires.

It is available with Kia’s Care-3 servicing package, which covers the cost of all routine maintenance – ­including parts and labour – for three years, at a cost of just £199. Like the warranty, this can be transferred to any subsequent owner should the car be sold before the expiry date.

Essential facts

Model	Power kW	Torque Nm	0-60 sec	Max speed mph	CO2 g/km
Soul EV	81.4	285	10.8	90	0

Dimensions

Length (mm)	4,140
Width (mm, exc. mirrors)	1,800
Height (mm)	1,593
Wheelbase (mm)	2,570
Min Kerb Weight (kg)	1,565
Max Kerb Weight (kg)	1,588
Boot vol. (l, VDA)	281-891

Pricing

Soul EV                                      £24,995
(After £5,000 Government Plug-in Car Grant)

 

KIA SOUL EV RANGE TEST: THE RESULTS

 

KIA SOUL EV EARNS WHOLE-LIFE ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATE