Official Kia Soul EV thread

[gsleaf]

I just picked up my Soul EV + this afternoon. Dealer got five in on Monday and they now have one left on the lot, so at least in LA they're moving quickly.

Was intending to get the Leaf but I'm still a tiny bit leery about battery degradation until the Lizard battery has proven itself, and the Soul has a rudimentary battery TMS. It's not as sophisticated as the Volt's, but much better than a sealed metal box of cooking batteries (IMO).

The Volt was my gateway drug to all-EV driving and I'm glad it was there as a stepping stone, but I'd like to move on from gas. Crossing my fingers for many happy miles in the Soul!

Very cool! How is the ride? Someone said it wasn't all that great over speed bumps, etc.

 

[TomT]

I suggest your recheck your math... With a higher drag and more weight than the Leaf, it should not get 11% more range from 11% more battery, it should be less... It is picking up something additional somewhere (not that I am complaining about that)...

unless its reserve or "untouchable" capacity is also 11% larger than the LEAF, it does not have to have more efficiency than the LEAF to go farther

 

[gsleaf]

I suggest your recheck your math... With a higher drag and more weight than the Leaf, it should not get 11% more range from 11% more battery, it should be less... It is picking up something additional somewhere (not that I am complaining about that)...

Could it be the tires?

While most EVs are shod with low rolling resistance tires, the Soul EV goes one step further with what Kia calls super low rolling resistance tires. Like the low-rollers of old, these SLRRTs (well, what else should we call them?) scream bloody murder if you try to whip the Soul EV around a corner, and give up their grip shortly thereafter.

http://www.hybridcars.com/2015-kia-soul-ev-review/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I suggest your recheck your math... With a higher drag and more weight than the Leaf, it should not get 11% more range from 11% more battery, it should be less... It is picking up something additional somewhere (not that I am complaining about that)...

unless its reserve or "untouchable" capacity is also 11% larger than the LEAF, it does not have to have more efficiency than the LEAF to go farther

terminology conflict here. to me, efficiency is the result after all the factors are taken into consideration.

how many modules are in a Soul pack as compared to the LEAF?

 

[mtndrew1]

BTW, the Soul EV has 80% and 100% charge modes. I wonder if the 93 miles EPA is an average like the pre-'14 Leafs?

 

[TonyWilliams]

BTW, the Soul EV has 80% and 100% charge modes. I wonder if the 93 miles EPA is an average like the pre-'14 Leafs?

Maybe!!!

 

[nosuchthing]

I've been lurking on mykiasoulev.com to scour the range news. So far the only interesting thing I found that one owners' GOM went up to 150 miles going downhill to town and 120 miles going up the hill home.

What strikes me is that my Leaf when it was new NEVER showed anything over 110 range, and I would be lucky to see 101 in the months that followed, until P3227, of course. That's when the "Nissan range reality" kicked in. Let us call it NRR.

 

[DougWantsALeaf]

Tony. When is the official range test?

 

[mtndrew1]

I just picked up my Soul EV + this afternoon. Dealer got five in on Monday and they now have one left on the lot, so at least in LA they're moving quickly.

Was intending to get the Leaf but I'm still a tiny bit leery about battery degradation until the Lizard battery has proven itself, and the Soul has a rudimentary battery TMS. It's not as sophisticated as the Volt's, but much better than a sealed metal box of cooking batteries (IMO).

The Volt was my gateway drug to all-EV driving and I'm glad it was there as a stepping stone, but I'd like to move on from gas. Crossing my fingers for many happy miles in the Soul!

Very cool! How is the ride? Someone said it wasn't all that great over speed bumps, etc.

I haven't had it very long but the ride is very compliant and quiet compared to my Volt. Smooth and comfy, as Korean cars typically are in my experience.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Tony. When is the official range test?

Soon. I'm driving the Mercedes B-Class ED in the next few days.

 

[mtndrew1]

Tony. When is the official range test?

Soon. I'm driving the Mercedes B-Class ED in the next few days.

Let me know if you need a Soul to test.

 

[TomT]

If so, it's EPA range is even more impressive since the Leaf range is at 100%...

BTW, the Soul EV has 80% and 100% charge modes. I wonder if the 93 miles EPA is an average like the pre-'14 Leafs?

 

[TonyWilliams]

Tony. When is the official range test?

Soon. I'm driving the Mercedes B-Class ED in the next few days.

Let me know if you need a Soul to test.

Yes, I do. Where are you?

 

[Berlino]

A lot of people on the Soul EV wait list in Canada are jumping ship for the LEAF.

Pricing for the Soul hasn't been released yet and there are many questions about the availability of the version with heat pump and CHAdeMO, so it's prudent to opt for the LEAF.

If CA stood for California here, there would be other options, but for now the LEAF is usually the only new EV you can get without waiting months.

 

[GRA]

They've certainly filled up the dealers locally. Kia's website shows 82 at dealers within 50 miles of me here in the Bay Area.

 

[edatoakrun]

Efficiency ratings in kWh/100 miles, combined city highway cycles, for all currently available BEVs can be found here:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=35207&id=34918&id=35601&id=35247" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Soul's 32 kWh/100 mi is at the low end of efficiency ratings (from 27 to 32 kWh/100 mi) for all US (low to mid market price) BEVs, except for the Tesla-powered conversions Rav4 and MB-B, which lag way behind.

Comparing the MPGe ratings of the Soul and LEAF, the Soul's aero drag shows up just as you would expect, with ~9% lower highway efficiency than the LEAF, but only ~5% lower efficiency in the city cycle.

It looks likely the Soul was tested at 100% charge, just like the LEAF, to get that ~11% higher (93/84 miles) calculated range.

 

[mtndrew1]

I've got a couple hundred miles on the car now and I'm really enjoying it.

I thought you guys might be interested in a few of these notes:

- The highest regen I've seen is 76 kW during hard braking, leading me to believe that under the correct circumstances the motor would be able to use its full 81 kW for regen.

- In B mode the brake lights come on during moderately strong regen, which is strong enough to nearly bring the car to a stop. Not quite i3/Tesla one-pedal driving, but very close. Brake blending is flawless, with none of the clunkiness of the Volt or the unevenness of the Leaf.

- Yesterday I drove the car 87.4 miles and had 31% SOC remaining. The route was the 110 @ Redondo Beach Blvd to Downtown LA, Downtown LA to Northridge, Northridge to Tarzana, Tarzana to Glendale, Glendale back to Redondo Beach Blvd. in Gardena. Speeds as high as 70 MPH with a blend of LA slow-n-go traffic. Fan only on the HVAC.

- The accelerator pedal is bottom-hinged and very tall, like a BMW. It allows the driver to have their full shoe sole on the entire pedal allowing for very precise metering of power/regen.

- I hope this doesn't jinx it, but assembly quality is flawless. All gaps are even, paint is glossy, nothing rattles or squeaks, and the suspension is quiet (in stark contrast to my Volt's clanky setup).

That's all I can think of for now. So far, so good! Loving it!

 

[pkulak]

This math is not adding up. Anyone ever consider that this thing has a 30+ kWh pack with 27 useable, Benz style?

 

[JeremyW]

I've been thinking that too... Everyone has been comparing 24 to 27 kWh (nameplate) but really it should probably be 21 (ha! not mine :? ) to 27 kWh.

 

[mtndrew1]

The car really does seem to have exceptional range for a 27 kWh total capacity pack. Unfortunately the car won't tell me total kWh used for a given trip like my Volt would (or I don't know how to find it), just mi/kWh, of which I've been averaging about 4.0. My home EVSE also doesn't report kWh dispensed, so I'm flying blind a bit. It sure feels like 27 kWh usable though, at least right now.

I'm supposed to do a range test with Tony on Saturday, so hopefully he can come up with some accurate all highway speed data.