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Kia Soul EV Gets Priced for the UK

Without beating around the bush, the first ever all-electric Kia model to be sold globally costs £24,995 in the UK after the £5,000 Plug-In Car Grant. For comparison’s sake, the Nissan Leaf starts from £16,490, but it isn’t on par with the electrified Soul.
Kia Soul EV (UK-spec) 6 photos
Photo: Kia
Kia Soul EV (UK-spec)Kia Soul EV (UK-spec)Kia Soul EV (UK-spec)Kia Soul EV (UK-spec)Kia Soul EV (UK-spec)
Pricing aside, a main difference between the two comes in the form of the Soul EV’s better packaging and space. Furthermore, the South Korean model is available in just one highly equipped trim and boasts with a 7-year / 100,000-mile warranty, which is rather trouble-free. Factually, that’s second-best after the Tesla Model S electric luxury sedan.

Back in August, Tesla Motors announced that all Model S vehicles now benefit from an 8-year / infinite mile warranty for both the battery pack and drive unit. Still, there’s quite a price gap between a Kia Soul EV and an entry-level Tesla Model S with the 60 kWh pack, which commands a not that affordable £54,380 in Her Majesty's United Kingdom.

First unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show in February, the Kia Soul EV comes with a 27 kWh battery

That's good for a theoretical range of up to 132 miles (212 kilometers) on a single charge. A neat feature of this eco-friendly model is the regenerative braking system, which tops up the battery when the driver is coasting or slowing down. Further green features come in the form of a unique air conditioning system which can be set to heat or cool only one side of the car, additional aero, as well as super-low-rolling-resistance tires that reduce energy consumption by as much as 10 percent over regular low-res rubber.

Even though the electric motor develops a hefty 285 Nm of torque available virtually instantly, the Soul EV isn’t fast. Rather than the go-faster bits and bobs, potential customers may be interested in charging credentials. From a standard 230-volt domestic socket, the Soul EV is able to fully recharge in 10 to 13 hours. With a rapid charger, the batteries can be topped up to 80 percent capacity in just 33 minutes.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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