Here's What You Need to Know About the 2020 Kia Soul EV

author: Manish Kharinta   

Korean automaker Kia showcased its 2020 Soul EV at last week's Los Angeles Auto Show. The compact crossover electric vehicle gets updated styling tweaks to its popular quirky design. The new Soul also gets technical updates in addition to refined aesthetics. 

The new electric vehicle now features a next generation, state-of-the-art 64 kWh liquid cooled lithium-ion polymer battery. The 2020 Kia Soul EV will share this battery pack with its cousin, the Kia Niro EV.  The redesigned battery pack offers a 301 miles all-electric driving range on a single charge (WLTP) in the Niro Ev (i.e. 260 miles EPA).

The current Soul EV model comes with a 30 kWh battery pack which offers just 111 miles of electric driving range. It is safe to say that the 64 kWh battery pack in the 2020 Soul will be able to achieve its 240 miles electric driving range target and maybe even supersede it. 

The company has also announced that the production of 2020 Kia Soul EV will be limited in North America and this might result in availability issues.

Powering the 2020 Soul EV will be at 201 horsepower electric powertrain, delivering an impressive 291 lb-ft of torque. The electric motor for the 2020 soul EV is currently undergoing tests to compute its EPA estimated range. The results of these tests are expected to be disclosed sometime early next year.

The Soul's consumer base broadly comprises younger buyers, which also happens to be its Target demographic. The unconventional design of this compact utility vehicle received many accolades and it's quirky design and value for money has made it widely popular with its customers. The same demographic is also highly supportive of EV adoption in general, which further adds to the Soul's popularity.

The 2020 Kia Soul comes with combined charging system (CCS) DC fast-charging standard, which reduces the need for daily charging and allows the passengers to carry-out long commutes with short charging breaks. The car also comes with four driving modes Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Eco+. These modes have been pre-programmed to configure the ideal amount of regenerative braking and automatically adjusts other vehicle settings for optimum efficiency, including the amout of power to the electric motor.

The car also gets paddle shifters, which can be used to operate smart regenerative braking. This helps the driver recoupe kinetic energy which can be used to extend the driving range.

the system is enhanced by Kia's Smart Eco Paddle Guide display, which has been integrated into the instrument cluster and relays driver's performance in real time assisting the driver in fine-tuning his/her driving habits allowing for a more eco-friendly motoring.

Manish Kharinta

Manish Kharinta is a automotive writer based in the Los Angeles area. He has worked for automotive industry websites TheSmokingClutch.com, CarDekho.com and CarBikeindia.com. His experience ranges from covering auto shows, to car reviews and breaking automotive news. Manish aims to bring forth his unique perspective on automotive design and technological innovations in the automotive industry.