Every time that I fill the gas tank on my SUV, I mumble that I should buy an electric car. My wife drives a Kia Sorrento, which gets great mileage. But it takes $75 to fill my 2004 SUV on a good day and closer to $100 when gas prices were soaring. Whenever I see an electric vehicle zipping by on the freeway, I have to wonder if there is a better way.
Kia recently introduced its first electric vehicle, the 2015 Soul EV. If you have seen the commercials with the dancing hamsters, you know the car that I’m talking about. The Soul EV is an electric version of what has been one of Kia’s most popular vehicles. You get the same fun car to drive, but never have to buy a gallon of gas.
I had the opportunity to take the 2015 Kia Soul EV for a test drive around Laguna Beach (my old stomping grounds). The car was a real kick to drive. With an electric car, you just take off like a rocket when you press the accelerator pedal. You don’t get that gradual acceleration like you would with a gasoline engine. You really notice this when getting onto the freeway or taking off from a red light. It is just pure acceleration when you press the pedal.
The other neat thing about an electric car is how incredibly quiet it is to drive. Without engine noise, you can hear everything around you. I was able to have a nice conversation with my passenger without shouting over road noise. I rolled down the windows and listened to the pacific ocean’s waves as I drove down PCH. When you turn on the radio, you hear every note. You don’t realize how loud a regular car is until you drive an electric car.
There are two reasons why most people haven’t switched to an electric car: price and range anxiety. The fear of running out of battery power is my wife’s biggest concern and I can’t blame her. It has taken a while for the battery technology to mature. The Soul EV addresses this with a highly energy-dense lithium-ion polymer battery. It gives you an EPA estimated range of 93 miles, which is better than all other EVs on the market except the Tesla Model S luxury EV.
For the vast majority of people, this is more than enough range to get you to and from work with plenty left over to run an errand or two. I’ve heard a lot of talk about charging stations, but most people I know just charge their vehicles at home. It just becomes second nature to plug in your car, just like you do with your cell phone. You can even program your car to only charge during off-peak hours so you can get a lower energy rate from your electric company.
Price is the other big factor with an electric vehicle. The Kia Soul EV has a starting MSRP of $33,700, compared with $15,100 for the gasoline version of the same vehicle. Of course, some of this cost difference is offset because of the lower fuel costs. But most people overlook things like the $7,500 federal tax rebate that also reduces the overall cost. That’s why KIA can offer the Soul EV for a $249 per month lease, which suddenly makes this eco-friendly vehicle very affordable.
So what do you get for the money? On the outside, the Soul EV has a few design flourishes that set it apart from its gasoline cousin. First is the paint scheme, which comes in four color choices: Caribbean Blue lower body with Clear White roof, Shadow Black lower body with Inferno Red roof, Titanium Gray and Clear White.
The front grill area is where you find the charging ports. It just pops open at the push of a button and then closes back up for a streamlined look while driving. The Soul has projector headlights, LED positioning lamps, and LED tail lights. The 16-inch alloy wheels look really nice on this car. It rides along on specially engineered, super low rolling resistance tires that offer 10 percent less resistance than standard tires, which helps to improve its range.
On the inside, the Soul EV is roomy. There is plenty of space for cargo in addition to leg room for the passengers. Kia uses special materials for the seating to keep with the overall eco-friendly vibe of the car: standard eco-friendly cloth and optional leather. Both are two-tone gray with offsetting blue stitching on the cloth seats and blue or black piping on the leather seats.
Even though I knew my way around Orange County, I couldn’t help but to play with the navigation system and radio. The Soul EV comes standard with an eight-inch screen navigation system that also works as the radio interface. It has all of the gadgets you would expect: Bluetooth connectivity, charging ports, a rear camera, power windows, power driver’s seat, cruise control, and a ridiculously high tech A/C system.
I don’t have an opportunity to use the A/C very often in Seattle, but I learned that air conditioning is one of the largest energy drains in any electric vehicle. The Soul EV has a special system that is designed to keep you comfortable while also minimizing energy use. The main component is a heat pump which combines the A/C and heater into one system.
For those cold days here in the northwest, the Soul EV can use waste heat from the car’s electrical systems to help heat the cabin. If you are driving alone, you can press a button to only blow air on the driver instead of using energy to heat or cool the entire car cabin. The thing I thought was most interesting was the ability to pre-heat or or cool your car before you even start it. I thought heated seats were a luxury. Can you imagine getting into a car that has already been warmed up for you? That’s pretty amazing.
The 2015 Kia Soul EV is an eco-friendly way to get around urban areas. And with a $249 per month lease option, it is even easier to say good bye to gasoline.