Kia Releases Pricing for its 2015 Soul EV

2015 Kia Soul EV (Credit: © Kia Motors America)

Electric vehicles are obviously the way of the future, and there is little anyone can say to prove it otherwise, as other alternative fuels have yet to really take off for multiple reasons. Specifically, hydrogen has its storage issues, hybrids still require you to be tethered to a gas station, and natural gas is as expensive or more expensive than gasoline in some areas. With this realization, automakers are rushing to get their own EVs on the dealer lots and in driveways before the market becomes flooded, and one of the latest to do so is Kia with its Soul EV.

One of the first questions from prospective buyer when a new EV rolls out is “is it expensive?” While the answer is never “no, it is actually cheap,” the Kia Soul EV is what I would call relatively affordable for an EV, particularly if you opt for a lease program.

Buying the base Soul EV outright will run you a cool $33,700 before the Fed gives you a $7,500 tax credit. With this credit added in, the price of the quirky EV drops to $26,200, which is slightly cheaper than a fully loaded Kia Soul Exclaim. To help add some extra posh to the Soul EV, Kia is offering a Plus trim level that includes leather seating, heated and vented seats, power-folding mirrors and more. The Soul EV Plus checks in at $35,700 before the tax man’s credit.

If you prefer to lease the Soul EV, which I recommend, you can pick one up for around $249 per month. Kia has yet to finalize the lease details, but this is its expected introductory offer. There is no word on down payment on the lease, but expect to pay somewhere around $2,000 at signing.

The Soul EV will hit dealerships in California in fall 2014, and Kia expects the EV and its 93-mile driving range to hit the east coast in 2015.