Kia has announced UK pricing and specifications for the 2023 model year Soul EV line-up, as order books open for the newly upgraded model. This electric vehicle (EV) has already proved successful for the Korean carmaker in the UK in 2021. Registrations were up 28 per cent compared to the previous year. This was with just one model on offer.
Now, Kia is widening the appeal of the Soul EV with the availability of a revised, two-grade model tier structure. A new ‘Urban’ specification joins the ‘Explore’ grade to offer buyers a choice of highly equipped, distinctively styled models, including a new medium-range battery for the first time.
UK customer deliveries for the new Soul EV models will commence during the fourth quarter of 2022, with prices starting at £32,795 for the Urban model with a medium-range battery pack. Prices for the Explore model fitted with the long-range battery pack will start at £38,995.
Kia Soul EV Urban Powertrain
For the first time in the UK, Kia is offering a 39.2kWh battery pack in the Soul EV Urban. This delivers a combined range of up to 171 miles (275km) or up to 252 miles (406km) in a city setting.
It can take just 54 minutes to recharge the battery pack from 0-80 per cent using an 80kW rapid charger, while a 7.2kW home charger will replenish the battery from 0-100 per cent in just over six hours. For owners without a dedicated home charger, a domestic plug socket can recharge the Soul EV from 0-100 per cent in 18 hours.
This car is powered by a 100kW (134bhp) electric motor that produces a maximum torque of 395Nm. The ‘Urban’ model is mated to a single-speed automatic transmission and offers a top speed of 97mph (156kph) and will hit 0-62mph (0-100kph) in 9.9 seconds.
Kia Soul EV Explore Powertrain
The Soul EV Explore features a larger 64kWh battery that will offer a combined range of 280 miles (451km) or an impressive 402 miles (647km) when driven in the city,
Using an 80kW rapid charger, the Soul EV Explore can be recharged 0-80 per cent in the same 54 minutes as the Urban model. When plugged at home with a 7.2kW charger, the battery can be easily replenished overnight from 0-100 per cent in 9 hours and 35 minutes. Using a regular domestic charger will take 29 hours to recharge 0-100 per cent.
This model is driven by a 150kW (201bhp) electric motor with a maximum torque of 395Nm. This gives it a top speed of 104mph (167kph) and hits 0-62mph (0-100kph) in 7.9 seconds.
The Soul EV is the smallest of Kia UK’s current electric vehicle line-up, joined by the recently launched all-new Niro EV and the flagship EV6. In 2023, the production version of the EV9 will expand the trio and will become the largest battery electric vehicle in the brand’s range.
Kia plans to launch 14 EV models by 2027 globally, 10 of the vehicles will be built on the new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) architecture, and four derivative EVs will be based on other models. This is part of Kia’s latest roadmap and Plan S strategy.
