Recharging times vary from 24 hours for a fully depleted battery using a standard 120-volt outlet and under five hours when plugged into a 240-volt outlet.
Kia Motors America held a global unveiling of the 2015 Soul EV at the Chicago Auto Show today. Scheduled for sale in Q3 of 2014, the Soul EV will be Kia’s first all-electric car sold in the U.S. The Soul EV joined a refreshed 2014 Optima Hybrid on stage.
This latest EV uses 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 Kia claimed internal testing and evaluation results sometimes exceeding 100 miles.
The Soul EV will initially be sold in California and Oregon, and several Eastern states including New York, New Jersey and Maryland, the regions with the largest EV markets and infrastructure. KMA said it would will look to offer the vehicle in other markets in the near future as infrastructure and demand grow. No pricing was announced.
The 360-volt 96-cell lithium-ion polymer battery has a nickel-cobalt-manganese cathode, which helps increase capacity, and a graphite-based anode, which increases durability while reducing weight. Additionally, the cells use a gel electrolyte, and each cell contains ceramic separators to improve thermal stability and safety.
The Soul EV uses Kia’s third-generation regenerative braking system to capture up to 12% of the car’s kinetic energy, which is fed back into the battery while the Soul EV is coasting and braking. Soul EV owners can choose between four different regeneration modes: “Drive” or “Brake” modes in Eco-mode “Off,” and “Drive” or “Brake” modes in Eco-mode “On,” with the “Brake” setting with Eco-mode “On” producing the most regeneration.
The Soul EV recharges by plugging into any standard 120v outlet or a conventional 240v EV charger. Two charging ports are standard, including a SAE J1772 port for Level 1 and Level 2 AC, and a fast-charging port (480 volt) behind a sliding door located in the front grille. Recharging times vary from 24 hours for a fully depleted battery using a standard 120-volt outlet and under five hours when plugged into a 240-volt outlet. An 80% charge can be achieved in as little as 33 minutes with a 50 kW-output charger.
