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Kia to Unveil an AWD Electric Concept in Chicago

(Credit: © Kia)

Concept Vehicles

Kia to Unveil an AWD Electric Concept in Chicago

2015 Chicago Auto Show Kia Concept

2015 Chicago Auto Show Kia Concept (Credit: © Kia)

The Chicago Auto Show is not one that I would call a major show, but every now and again something unique makes its debut in The Windy City. This year it looks like there may be a few big draws, and one of which is a new electric, all-wheel-drive concept car from Kia.

Kia is keeping the details on this concept close to its chest, as the only details the press release gives up are that it’s a “bold off-roader” and that it is suitable for city dwellers looking to escape the urban jungle. Other than that, my guess is as good as yours as to what this electric rig will bring to the table.

A close inspection of the teaser image that Kia provided shows that this is definitely based upon the Kia Soul, which already has an electric-powered version, albeit one with just front-wheel drive. So, chances are that the testing of the Kia Soul EV proved successful enough for the brand to start gauging interest in providing an AWD version for those folks who live in areas that need extra grip.

Unlike the Soul EV, this image shows off a far more aggressive-looking front end, but this is still just a concept car. Additionally, those wheels, while cool looking, are not ones that will make their way onto a production electric car.

As a bit of a refresher, the 2015 Soul EV can travel 93 miles on a single charge, and its 360-volt AC motor puts out 109 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of twist. It’s certainly no speed demon, but its 11.2-second stroll to 60 mph isn’t too terribly bad, considering this is mainly just a city car.

Possibly this concept, much like the Tesla Model S P85D, will actually see the AWD system provide dramatic performance and range gains, but I am not holding my breath for that one.

The Kia electric all-wheel-drive concept will make its debut on February 12, 2015 at 9:00 a.m.

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