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2018 Kia Soul EV Gets a Battery Swap
While the Soul has become a cult classic in the automotive world, there hasn’t been much demand for its electrified version. This, I assume, is mostly due to its lack of range. For 2018, Kia is working to make the Soul EV a better daily driver with a higher-capacity battery that delivers a bit more range.
The big news for the 2018 Soul EV is the new 30-kWh battery pack that replaces the old 27-kWh power pack. Sure, that 3-kWh bump isn’t anything to write home about, but it’s enough to take the Soul EV from a 93-mile range to 111 miles. Additionally, that’s plenty of range for the average American commute, which is a 32-mile round trip.
Other than the new battery pack, the rest of the Soul EV’s powertrain remains the same. It continues with an A/C synchronous permanent magnet motor that produces 109 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. According to EPA estimates, the Soul EV’s fuel economy equivalents run 124 mpg-e city, 93 mpg-e highway, and 108 mpg-e combined.
The 2018 Soul EV is on sale now, and its nationwide pricing ranges from $33,950 for the base model to $35,950 for the EV+ (not including the $850 destination fee). Folks in California can snag the EV-e trim for just $32,250 without the destination charge.