Official Kia Soul EV thread

[GRA]

Because of its boxy shape, highway range might be disappointing compared to the leaf. Will be interesting when comparisons are done.

It's now up on the EPA website, and the hwy MPGe of 92 versus 101 for the LEAF indicates that. Most of us expect the 3 extra kWh will pretty much balance out the bigger CdA, but it remains to be seen. It did get 1 mile better EPA range than Kia was previously claiming, 93 instead of 92, for a 9 mile advantage over the LEAF. City MPGe is 120 (Soul) versus 126 (LEAF), and a claimed 32 kWh to go 100 miles, versus 30 for the LEAF.

Here we go, from ievs.com:

"2015 Kia Soul EV Gets Official EPA Range Rating Of 93 Miles – City Range Will Blow Your Mind"

http://insideevs.com/2015-kia-soul-ev-gets-official-epa-range-rating-93-miles-city-range-will-blow-mind/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

City range 103.6 miles, Hwy 79.7. Of course, real world constant cruise highway range is likely to be different.

 

[JeremyW]

Can't wait till Tony Williams can do his infamous test to see what the "true" 100km/h range is!

 

[TonyWilliams]

Can't wait till Tony Williams can do his infamous test to see what the "true" 100km/h range is!

Yep, expect that as soon as I can get my hands on one. I tentatively have a Mercedes B-Class ED (I will probably buy one of those) and I need the BMW i3, both BEV and hybrid.

 

[GRA]

Can't wait till Tony Williams can do his infamous test to see what the "true" 100km/h range is!

Yep, expect that as soon as I can get my hands on one. I tentatively have a Mercedes B-Class ED (I will probably buy one of those) and I need the BMW i3, both BEV and hybrid.

Don't forget a 2015 Spark EV, assuming you can find an owner you haven't already pissed off (on their forum) to lend you one.

 

[TomT]

Just sign up for one of their 3 day test drives... I have one coming up next week and a second the following week...

I need the BMW i3, both BEV and hybrid.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Can't wait till Tony Williams can do his infamous test to see what the "true" 100km/h range is!

Yep, expect that as soon as I can get my hands on one. I tentatively have a Mercedes B-Class ED (I will probably buy one of those) and I need the BMW i3, both BEV and hybrid.

Don't forget a 2015 Spark EV, assuming you can find an owner you haven't already pissed off (on their forum) to lend you one.

Ya, that is one nutty forum for the GM Spark EV (for those not familiar, I've been petitioned to be kicked off, been called every insult imaginable, the lone moderator doesn't stop anything, and it's just generally a hate fest).

I don't really have a plan to test one, but if I did, I'd probably just test drive it from a dealer ;-)

 

[cwerdna]

Don't forget a 2015 Spark EV, assuming you can find an owner you haven't already pissed off (on their forum) to lend you one.

Ya, that is one nutty forum for the GM Spark EV (for those not familiar, I've been petitioned to be kicked off, been called every insult imaginable, the lone moderator doesn't stop anything, and it's just generally a hate fest).

Indeed. There are a couple folks there who don't know much about EVs, charging standards and the automotive market who create drama and attack others, esp. those who have knowledge. And, oddly there are a few low post count people who appeared and decided to attack Tony and sometimes myself.

 

[evnow]

Whether or not it's a compliance car is immaterial to me, as I live in California.

Actually - whether an there an EV made or not is immaterial to you - as you don't plan to buy any :lol:

BTW, our governor (IIRC) doesn't want to sign on to the ZEV rules because of transport provision. May be after 2018, he will.

Oh, one more thing. Look around to see how many BEVs are available in states that have signed on to ZEV rules. Not many more than in WA, because of transport rules. GRA, I thought you were better informed than that to be making that kind of statement

 

[TonyWilliams]

BTW, our governor (IIRC) doesn't want to sign on to the ZEV rules because of transport provision. May be after 2018, he will... Not many more than in WA, because of transport rules.

Could you expand on the "transport provision" issue for those of us not from Washington state?

 

[Smidge204]

Nissan didn't select the areas based on compliance.

They used a reservation/pre-order model instead, allowing them to offer it to a broader area without committing to manufacturing cars they potentially could not sell. Nissan tested the waters with caution just like every other manufacturer.

I'm exercising cautious optimism as always.
=Smidge=

 

[GRA]

Whether or not it's a compliance car is immaterial to me, as I live in California.

Actually - whether an there an EV made or not is immaterial to you - as you don't plan to buy any :lol:

I certainly won't be buying one until it meets my needs. Are you in a high enough income bracket that you can make car buying decisions that ignore that criterion?

BTW, our governor (IIRC) doesn't want to sign on to the ZEV rules because of transport provision. May be after 2018, he will.

Oh, one more thing. Look around to see how many BEVs are available in states that have signed on to ZEV rules. Not many more than in WA, because of transport rules. GRA, I thought you were better informed than that to be making that kind of statement

I wasn't aware that governors had the responsibility of writing legislation, just thought they could sign or veto it. Last I checked, Washington still claimed to be a democratic republic, so the governor is hardly the only person with any say in the matter.

 

[ampitupco]

I can't figure out why I am sitting here in Denver watching the nightly news and Kia is showing me the Soul EV commercial. It's not like I can buy the thing for another 2 years if I'm lucky, right? Or are they gonna roll this thing out nationwide quickly?

 

[tuanies]

CA roll out by the end of the year, the rest of the country in 2015 iirc.

 

[GRA]

CA roll out by the end of the year, the rest of the country in 2015 iirc.

The ZEV states are the only ones they've officially announced.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

SOME ZEV states. MA wasn't on that list. For the East coast, just MD, NY, and NJ, iirc, and NJ not even a ZEV state.

 

[redLEAF]

I can't figure out why I am sitting here in Denver watching the nightly news and Kia is showing me the Soul EV commercial. It's not like I can buy the thing for another 2 years if I'm lucky, right? Or are they gonna roll this thing out nationwide quickly?

Hey, its playing in Chicago as well … probably at least a year before we see any as well

 

[TonyWilliams]

SOME ZEV states. MA wasn't on that list. For the East coast, just MD, NY, and NJ, iirc, and NJ not even a ZEV state.

CARB-ZEV - California’s ZEV program has now been adopted by the states of Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont. These states, known as the “Section 177 states,” have chosen to adopt California's air quality standards in lieu of federal requirements as authorized under Section 177 of the federal Clean Air Act. Additionally, California’s GHG standards are now federal law. Maine and New Jersey are participating with ZEV initiatives, but are not signatory CARB-ZEV states.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

SOME ZEV states. MA wasn't on that list. For the East coast, just MD, NY, and NJ, iirc, and NJ not even a ZEV state.

CARB-ZEV - California’s ZEV program has now been adopted by the states of Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont. These states, known as the “Section 177 states,” have chosen to adopt California's air quality standards in lieu of federal requirements as authorized under Section 177 of the federal Clean Air Act. Additionally, California’s GHG standards are now federal law. Maine and New Jersey are participating with ZEV initiatives, but are not signatory CARB-ZEV states.

Yes, thank you. Last I saw, the Soul EV was only initially slated for NY, NJ, and MD in this limited release, probably well after the west coast gets them, and I won't be surprised if none of them make it to those three states. Seems half of those 5000 exports have gone to Norway.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

BTW, our governor (IIRC) doesn't want to sign on to the ZEV rules because of transport provision. May be after 2018, he will... Not many more than in WA, because of transport rules.

Could you expand on the "transport provision" issue for those of us not from Washington state?

I believe what he is referring to is the fact that a manufacturer does not actually have to sell any cars in a given ZEV state, but rather can count sales in another state towards the requirement (no double-dipping though).

For example, many EVs are not available in NY. It is easier for Toyota, for example, to just sell the Rav4 EV in a handful of dealerships in CA. They just have to sell enough to hit the percentage for all 8 ZEV states combined. Therefore, although NY signed on to the group, we don't see the benefit. Instead CA gets a few extra cars.

 

[TonyWilliams]

BTW, our governor (IIRC) doesn't want to sign on to the ZEV rules because of transport provision. May be after 2018, he will... Not many more than in WA, because of transport rules.

Could you expand on the "transport provision" issue for those of us not from Washington state?

I believe what he is referring to is the fact that a manufacturer does not actually have to sell any cars in a given ZEV state, but rather can count sales in another state towards the requirement (no double-dipping though).

For example, many EVs are not available in NY. It is easier for Toyota, for example, to just sell the Rav4 EV in a handful of dealerships in CA. They just have to sell enough to hit the percentage for all 8 ZEV states combined. Therefore, although NY signed on to the group, we don't see the benefit. Instead CA gets a few extra cars.

That's called the "Traveling Provision". In model year 2018, it goes away except for hydrogen cars, which will continue to be sold in California only.

In addition to only selling/leasing hydrogen cars in California only, they also get 300% more credit per car than a "100 mile" battery electric car.

So, even if Washington state joins CARB-ZEV, you won't see a Toyota, Hyundai, or Honda ZEV there. I suspect there will be others, like Mercedes, will go hydrogen, too.