Official Kia Soul EV thread

[DNAinaGoodWay]

In the great white north, we'd prefer a battery warmer. But at least there's no grill that needs to be blocked off.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

In the great white north, we'd prefer a battery warmer. But at least there's no grill that needs to be blocked off.

just wondering how long it will take before someone channels that airflow into the cabin!

 

[evnow]

So, one more CHAdeMO EV.

 

[evnow]

If I'm not mistaken, once you achieve 100 miles range on the city test, no bonus ZEV credits are awarded until you get to at least 200 miles. There's simply too little incentive to sell a BEV with a 30-45 kWh battery. The RAV4 has a 40 kWh one only because that's the smallest battery Tesla had on hand to sell them.

Interesting observation. All conversions are 100 mile city range (except Tesla ones). I think this has a lot of merit - apart from the fact that using today's technology 100 city miles is the sweet spot in terms of cost, weight & volume.

 

[jsongster]

Yep... another CHAdeMO... and Hyundai supports it too... too bad they don't have a vehicle in US as well. If they sell some more Souls, they could give ComboSAE a run for its money.

 

[DaveEV]

In the great white north, we'd prefer a battery warmer. But at least there's no grill that needs to be blocked off.

Actually, a good amount of air flows through the grill and through around the battery pack. You might try grill blocking in the winter to keep battery temps up.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

In the great white north, we'd prefer a battery warmer. But at least there's no grill that needs to be blocked off.

Actually, a good amount of air flows through the grill and through around the battery pack. You might try grill blocking in the winter to keep battery temps up.

I mean the Soul. I don't see a grill at all.

On any EV, if I'm heating air for the cabin, or cooling it, I don't see why some of that air couldn't flow through the pack first, giving me better range in winter and a happier pack in summer.

 

[redLEAF]

Yet another 'compliance' EV not available main stream any time soon --- Kia had this at the Chicago Auto Show, decent paint, a few styling cues, etc. but we'll probably never see it in the Midwest so why bother bringing it? Little to no info from the Kia rep's as well ... ho hum

 

[kubel]

http://www.timescall.com/ci_23652270/new-ehrlich-kia-dealership-will-include-charging-station" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Anyone driving up on I-25 can stop here, plug in, and get their car recharged in half an hour"

Certainly sounds like CHAdeMO to me. There is a possibility that this won't just be a compliance car if dealers are investing in infrastructure in Colorado.

 

[edatoakrun]

http://...There is a possibility that this won't just be a compliance car if dealers are investing in infrastructure in Colorado.

For now, I give Hyundai/Kia the benefit of the doubt, that the Soul is intended to be a legitimate mass-production BEV.

...The 2015 Kia Soul EV will go on sale between July and September in selected regions, although Kia said it hoped to offer the vehicle in additional markets “in the near future” as demand and charging infrastructure permitted.

Among them are California and Oregon, along with a handful of Eastern states where electric cars are already selling relatively well: New York, New Jersey, and Maryland among them..

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090170_2015-kia-soul-ev-electric-car-unveiled-at-chicago-auto-show/page-2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is understandable that the initial production will be sent to where the DC infrastructure is well-developed, and I hope they are offered in 50 states (or 49 anyway) in the near future.

If the Soul EV turns out to be produced and sold in only very small numbers, you can throw it into the compliance car junkpile, along with all the other BEVs sold in the USA (so far) by Honda, Toyota, GM, Ford, Fiat/Chrysler, VW, Mercedes...

All of which (coincidently, I'm sure...) do not have a CHAdeMO port.

 

[LEAFfan]

27kWh, 360V/96 cells, 200Wh/kg Li-NMC polymer chemistry with graphite anode, gel electrolyte and ceramic separators, air-cooled.

Sounds like the Leaf might have some company in the premature battery degradation department.

If you remember, Nissan is going to have a 'hot' battery (ceramic separators) in Spring 2014. So Kia's pack should also be able to withstand high heat over time.

 

[RonDawg]

http://...There is a possibility that this won't just be a compliance car if dealers are investing in infrastructure in Colorado.

For now, I give Hyundai/Kia the benefit of the doubt, that the Soul is intended to be a legitimate mass-production BEV.

Yeah I don't understand the "compliance only" cries about this car. At launch it will be available in more states than the Spark EV is today.

The Honda Fit EV and Clarity FCX are the poster children of "compliance cars:" sales from CA dealer only (and only a few LA dealers in the case of the Clarity), very limited numbers, lease-only with no purchase option whatsoever.

 

[kubel]

If the Soul EV turns out to be produced and sold in only very small numbers, you can throw it into the compliance car junkpile, along with all the other BEVs sold in the USA (so far) by Honda, Toyota, GM, Ford, Fiat/Chrysler, VW, Mercedes...

Ford Focus Electric is available outside of CARB-states, so I don't think I would classify it as a compliance car. Initially when it was released, it was CARB-only, but the same can be said of the LEAF initially as well.

I don't think KIA would have unveiled the car at Chicago if they didn't have plans to sell it at least to the mid-west. They will probably start with CARB-states and ramp up from there to play catch up with Nissan. I think they have a competitive product, but I think Nissan will leap frog them with 150-mile range as soon as the Soul starts catching on.

 

[redLEAF]

If the Soul EV turns out to be produced and sold in only very small numbers, you can throw it into the compliance car junkpile, along with all the other BEVs sold in the USA (so far) by Honda, Toyota, GM, Ford, Fiat/Chrysler, VW, Mercedes...

Ford Focus Electric is available outside of CARB-states, so I don't think I would classify it as a compliance car. Initially when it was released, it was CARB-only, but the same can be said of the LEAF initially as well.

I don't think KIA would have unveiled the car at Chicago if they didn't have plans to sell it at least to the mid-west ...

Two points mentioned ... the FFE has been available a fairly long time after the LEAF came to town in Chicago but not much interest at the Ford dealer's (at least all the ones I stopped in to in the NW 'burbs) plus it never offered at QC (standard or as an option); was a 'converted' ICE with much smaller cargo space (due to the batteries) and has always sold in much smaller numbers than the LEAF. It may not be a true just 'compliance' car but not a lot of interest; much more so in the C-Max and now Fusion PHEV's which sell in larger numbers.

As far as KIA with their Soul EV; we saw the Fiat 500e at the Chicago Auto Show right along with the ICE powered 500 when it became available here in Chicago now going on a year or so back, but quite doubtful that the 'e' will ever show up -- at what sales point does a mfg. go national depends on the mfg. but Fiat's CEO had made mention that they're losing $10K on every one they sell so can KIA be far behind; why would you want to lose even more with every one you sell if it's not to comply with a state (zero emission compliance) level law?

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1057817_in-the-red-each-fiat-500-electric-car-loses-chrysler-10k

 

[adric22]

Two points mentioned ... the FFE has been available a fairly long time after the LEAF came to town in Chicago but not much interest at the Ford dealer's (at least all the ones I stopped in to in the NW 'burbs) plus it never offered at QC (standard or as an option); was a 'converted' ICE with much smaller cargo space (due to the batteries) and has always sold in much smaller numbers than the LEAF. It may not be a true just 'compliance' car but not a lot of interest; much more so in the C-Max and now Fusion PHEV's which sell in larger numbers.

The Focus EV has always been overpriced and also never advertised. I've seen a couple of them around here in DF/W. But now that they have lowered the price another $6,000 I wouldn't be surprised if they start selling a little better.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

If the Soul EV turns out to be produced and sold in only very small numbers, you can throw it into the compliance car junkpile, along with all the other BEVs sold in the USA (so far) by Honda, Toyota, GM, Ford, Fiat/Chrysler, VW, Mercedes...

Ford Focus Electric is available outside of CARB-states, so I don't think I would classify it as a compliance car. Initially when it was released, it was CARB-only, but the same can be said of the LEAF initially as well.

I don't think KIA would have unveiled the car at Chicago if they didn't have plans to sell it at least to the mid-west. They will probably start with CARB-states and ramp up from there to play catch up with Nissan. I think they have a competitive product, but I think Nissan will leap frog them with 150-mile range as soon as the Soul starts catching on.

why does compliance mean "not widespread?" just because the car can supposedly be had in all the states does not move it out of compliance mode.

its sales numbers ranks it in one of three categories

high end exclusive

compliance

failure
you decide

 

[RonDawg]

why does compliance mean "not widespread?" just because the car can supposedly be had in all the states does not move it out of compliance mode.

Because with at least the Fiat 500e, the car (allegedly) costs more to produce than can be sold for. So for a manufacturer who is in "compliance only" mode, there's no incentive to sell more than you absolutely have to in order to avoid fines by CARB and/or having to buy credits from someone else. Which means you try to limit sales to California, so you get the full credit.

I'm sure HyunKia looked to where the Leaf's best-selling states are in their decision for market introduction. No point in introducing the car (at launch anyway) in an EV wasteland like Alaska, where you can probably count the number of Leafs in the state on one hand, two hands tops. I don't think any of the few Nissan dealers in Alaska are even Leaf-certified dealers.

 

[evnow]

I don't think KIA would have unveiled the car at Chicago if they didn't have plans to sell it at least to the mid-west. They will probably start with CARB-states and ramp up from there to play catch up with Nissan. I think they have a competitive product, but I think Nissan will leap frog them with 150-mile range as soon as the Soul starts catching on.

I think KIA smells like a compliance car. I doubt you will see it anywhere other than CA (and may one or 2 other states).

 

[jsongster]

Read a quote from some KIA person that claimed they were not pricing it to encourage sales. Screams compliance to me.

 

[ydnas7]

Kia's RAY EV demo was comparable in scope to BMW activeE program, except it was all in Korea.

Kia Soul EV is not a begrudgeing compliance car like Honda or Toyota
but its not a 'real men build battery factories' car like the Nissan or Tesla.

Kia's lease rates and Chademo rollout will explain.