Official Kia Soul EV thread

[mkjayakumar]

Loren, repeat after me :

Crumple zone absorbs energy and thus gives you safety. It absorbs the impact/energy and slows the car down a bit more gradually. Imagine an hypothetical crumple zone about 500 feet in length in front of the passenger compartment. In that hypothetical scenario one can hit a concrete barrier head on at 60 mph and still perhaps walk away. The impact damages the crumple zone but that is what saves you.

A solid engine block simply transfers the energy into the compartment. In fact the heavier the ICE block, more energy is transferred to the driver. The impact leaves the ICE intact and that is what kills you.

Precisely the reason why Model S with its superb crumple zone in the Frunk gets very high marks in crash testing. Even the thief who crashed it head at 80 mph on into a concrete wall, lived a few hours after the crash. The car split into two, but still left the driver alive for a few hours. Cannot imagine that in any ICE cars.

 

[mkjayakumar]

The shape is a bit boxy, but I guess the driver seating has a higher profile similar to cross over SUVs? That is a good thing, as that gives more visibility all around. Given its high frontal surface area, I am guessing the range would be impacted at higher speeds much more than the Leaf.

I am really glad the charge port is in the front just like the Leaf.

I can't wait to take a test drive. I called the dealer and he is said, yes it is coming to Texas but was not sure when.

 

[gatedad11]

Comparably equipped, they are about the same price... Kia doesn't make a stripper like Nissan does (the S) and Kia's feature content is higher than the Leafs, including features that even the SL does not have as stock...

same price?? well that would be news

I guess for "some" values for options provided is important. for others like me, I'd rather have the option to pay less and forego stuff I don't want to pay for.

Back when the S was introduced most car "experts" thought they would comprise less than 5 % of sales. so what is the percentage of S's over the other trim options?

Dave: Interesting that for me, the S would be my financial choice but not the car I'd actually buy. It doesn't come with the faster on board charger, nor the upgraded heater nor the QC. I realeze that the QC is very frequently added on to an "S" purchase, but I suspect that anyone who lives where it can get really cold(and the Pacific NW is still probably warmer than the NE part of the US)will need the improved heating. Initially, when Nissan introduced the LEAF, none of them had the hybrid heater. Now we are seeing it as standard in the KIA Soul EV, and I bet(but cannot prove)that in much of the cold stricken areas of the US it is a necessity. In fact, it factored heavily into my decision not to lease another Mitsubishi I-MiEV, I simply did not want to deal with the cold drive to work every morning. The resistance heater was inadequate for the job.

I get your point though, that Nissan did not anticipate the # of people that would be pefectly happy with the lower content model. But I would guess that the % of people like that is on a steady downturn, since we know now that the improvements are probably worth the additional costs.

Lou

 

[GRA]

I guess for "some" values for options provided is important. for others like me, I'd rather have the option to pay less and forego stuff I don't want to pay for.

Back when the S was introduced most car "experts" thought they would comprise less than 5 % of sales. so what is the percentage of S's over the other trim options?

Dave: Interesting that for me, the S would be my financial choice but not the car I'd actually buy. It doesn't come with the faster on board charger, nor the upgraded heater nor the QC. I realize that the QC is very frequently added on to an "S" purchase, but I suspect that anyone who lives where it can get really cold(and the Pacific NW is still probably warmer than the NE part of the US)will need the improved heating. Initially, when Nissan introduced the LEAF, none of them had the hybrid heater. Now we are seeing it as standard in the KIA Soul EV, and I bet(but cannot prove)that in much of the cold stricken areas of the US it is a necessity. In fact, it factored heavily into my decision not to lease another Mitsubishi I-MiEV, I simply did not want to deal with the cold drive to work every morning. The resistance heater was inadequate for the job.
<snip>
Lou

The greatest effect of the heat exchanger comes in moderate climates, not really cold ones. Places like the PNW and S.F. Bay area, where winter temps rarely go below freezing, will see the greatest range benefit. In places where the winter temps get into single digits or below zero, you'll be using the resistive heater rather than the heat exchanger so won't see any improvement. However, the heat exchanger _will_ benefit people in really cold climates in spring and fall.

 

[pkulak]

Loren, repeat after me:

Jesus, no one cares. Stop polluting this thread.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Comparably equipped, they are about the same price... Kia doesn't make a stripper like Nissan does (the S) and Kia's feature content is higher than the Leafs, including features that even the SL does

I guess for "some" values for options provided is important. for others like me, I'd rather have the option to pay less and forego stuff I don't want to pay for.

Back when the S was introduced most car "experts" thought they would comprise less than 5 % of sales. so what is the percentage of S's over the other trim options?

Dave: Interesting that for me, the S would be my financial choice but not the car I'd actually buy. It doesn't come with the faster on board charger, nor the upgraded heater nor the QC. I realeze that the QC is very frequently added on to an "S" purchase, but I suspect that anyone who lives where it can get really cold(and the Pacific NW is still probably warmer than the NE part of the US)will need the improved heating. Initially, when Nissan introduced the LEAF, none of them had the hybrid heater. Now we are seeing it as standard in the KIA Soul EV, and I bet(but cannot prove)that in much of the cold stricken areas of the US it is a necessity. In fact, it factored heavily into my decision not to lease another Mitsubishi I-MiEV, I simply did not want to deal with the cold drive to work every morning. The resistance heater was inadequate for the job.

I get your point though, that Nissan did not anticipate the # of people that would be pefectly happy with the lower content model. But I would guess that the % of people like that is on a steady downturn, since we know now that the improvements are probably worth the additional costs.

Lou

Ya, have to have the charge package. But everything else I can easily do without. Besides in real cold weather, only a heater will work. Heat exchangers are great for th e in between weather which is what I see most of the time but my comments don't mirror my thoughts. I already have a car. This is what I hear from interested parties all the time. The only item I don't have that most want is cruise control and guess what? Nissan already figured that one out

 

[Stoaty]

Loren, repeat after me:

Jesus, no one cares. Stop polluting this thread.

Correcting misinformation is not polluting the thread.

 

[lorenfb]

Loren, repeat after me :

Crumple zone absorbs energy and thus gives you safety. It absorbs the impact/energy and slows the car down a bit more gradually. Imagine an hypothetical crumple zone about 500 feet in length in front of the passenger compartment. In that hypothetical scenario one can hit a concrete barrier head on at 60 mph and still perhaps walk away. The impact damages the crumple zone but that is what saves you.

A solid engine block simply transfers the energy into the compartment. In fact the heavier the ICE block, more energy is transferred to the driver. The impact leaves the ICE intact and that is what kills you.

Precisely the reason why Model S with its superb crumple zone in the Frunk gets very high marks in crash testing. Even the thief who crashed it head at 80 mph on into a concrete wall, lived a few hours after the crash. The car split into two, but still left the driver alive for a few hours. Cannot imagine that in any ICE cars.

The issue was whether the Soul BEV, which Kia is hardly committed to given its exact ICE body and its
very limited availability, is as safe as its ICE version in a crash test. So, please focus on that issue and
not take that issue out of context!

Again, where are the comparative crash data? Try and avoid your consistent hyperbole in your subsequent posts!
It appears you now have new posters to the thread as confused as you are.

 

[Berlino]

70 Soul EV's were to be made available in Quebec this model year (making for almost 200 in Canada.) However, a new report says only 50 will be shipped to ALL of Canada.

What's strange is that Kia has been advertising their EV on TV. It's the only TV ad for an EV that I recall in Canada for over a year.

 

[TomT]

I imagine that Kia is slower than expected in starting up the EV production line just as every other manufacturer, including Nissan, was...

70 Soul EV's were to be made available in Quebec this model year (making for almost 200 in Canada.) However, a new report says only 50 will be shipped to ALL of Canada.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I imagine that Kia is slower than expected in starting up the EV production line just as every other manufacturer, including Nissan, was...

70 Soul EV's were to be made available in Quebec this model year (making for almost 200 in Canada.) However, a new report says only 50 will be shipped to ALL of Canada.

Tesla was over a year behind, Nissan at least 6 months behind, the Volt, decades?? (just kidding )

so ya, its announce now then figure out how to make it happen. seems normal for the auto industry

 

[Berlino]

I imagine that Kia is slower than expected in starting up the EV production line just as every other manufacturer, including Nissan, was...

Fair enough, and "the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing" is quite common as well. Kia's spending on Canadian advertizing is accomplishing nothing but annoying people that can't get their hands on the Soul EV.

I mentioned 50 Soul EVs being allotted to Canada, but what I forgot to mention is the base trim will have neither the heat pump nor the CHAdeMO port. I can't imagine why you would make the heat pump standard across all trims in the USA, but not in Canada.

 

[TomT]

The same unknown reason as why the Leaf's equipment content is different in Canada...

I can't imagine why you would make the heat pump standard across all trims in the USA, but not in Canada.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

The same unknown reason as why the Leaf's equipment content is different in Canada...

I can't imagine why you would make the heat pump standard across all trims in the USA, but not in Canada.

Heat Pump works best in moderate climates. makes perfect sense. no QC?? well, have to think about that one. how many Chademo do you guys have up there?

 

[Berlino]

Heat Pump works best in moderate climates. makes perfect sense. no QC?? well, have to think about that one. how many Chademo do you guys have up there?

The heat pump in the LEAF is awesome for April, May, October and November here, even if the resistance heater has to take most of the load in the Winter. For example, in November the average high is the 40s and the average low in the upper 20s. It's 40°F as I'm typing this.

Two weeks ago there was only one CHAdeMO in Quebec, but now there are four and there should be ten by the end of the year. In BC, I think there are around 10, but with funding for a couple dozen more. Ontario is a dry spot with only two (Mitsubishi and Nissan headquarters).

The big news is the imminent launching of a co-op with the goal of bringing the number of DCQC in Quebec to 100 by the end of 2015. Details should be out soon.

 

[evnow]

Fair enough, and "the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing" is quite common as well. Kia's spending on Canadian advertizing is accomplishing nothing but annoying people that can't get their hands on the Soul EV.

Lead times. Kia must have purchased slots before figuring out it won't ship as many.

Actually, considering the low numbers Kia plans to manufacture, advertising the way they are doing is an overkill. May be they are trying to get some green cred with advertisements - so it is more a corporate image thing than selling EVs ?

 

[Smidge204]

Actually, considering the low numbers Kia plans to manufacture, advertising the way they are doing is an overkill. May be they are trying to get some green cred with advertisements - so it is more a corporate image thing than selling EVs ?

Or, less cynically, they're trying to drum up some demand so they can justify more production. Nissan did very similar with the LEAF with their national tour and social media campaign. Announced August 2009, first car delivered December 2010. And, again, they took reservations and pre-orders so they were able to test the market's demand without committing too much.

I don't think the first release is anything to go by when gauging a company's dedication to an electric vehicle platform. I honestly don't expect to see anything interesting on that for at least another six months. Let's see where they go with it.
=Smidge=

 

[evnow]

Or, less cynically, they're trying to drum up some demand so they can justify more production. Nissan did very similar with the LEAF with their national tour and social media campaign. Announced August 2009, first car delivered December 2010. And, again, they took reservations and pre-orders so they were able to test the market's demand without committing too much.

I'm always baffled when people compare Leaf rollout with Spark or Soul.

Nissan said they'll make 50k Leafs a year. Not 5k.

There is no need to "drum up demand" and then produce more. They can clearly see what the demand is now. Nissan spent a ton of money before taking deposits (April '10 onwards), so the idea of "not committing too much" is preposterous - if anything Nissan (and GM) overestimated the demand.

 

[TomT]

And they came no where even remotely close to that the first year...

Nissan said they'll make 50k Leafs a year. Not 5k.

 

[Smidge204]

Nissan said they'll make 50k Leafs a year. Not 5k.

The global sales target for 2014 is 5000. I don't know where or how this turned into "5000 per year." There is no official statement on what future production volumes will be.

And you're right, they SHOULD have a fairly good grasp on what demand is - and honestly I wouldn't fault them for thinking the market doesn't look that appealing.

You also make it sound as if KIA hasn't spent a lot of money on this. Easily over a hundred million just like any other new vehicle, I'd wager. Nissan took a huge gamble and it hasn't exactly paid itself off yet; many kudos to them for sticking with it, but LEAFs aren't exactly flying off the shelves are they?

I'm not going to hold it against any manufacturer who doesn't jump in with both feet. I'm as happy to see a new EV offering announcement with the Soul EV as I was with the Focus EV, the iMiEV, that BYD thing, and honestly just about everything else except that Aptera thing.

I think a better overall comparison is with the I-MiEV. Both had a seemingly aggressive ad campaign, which sets them apart from clearly half-assed "compliance cars." The I-MiEV was pretty ugly and had relatively mediocre performance, so it hasn't sold that great, but I think the intentions were honest. The Soul EV isn't that great a looker either but the ICE version seems to be a decent seller (>100K/yr) and they are certainly on solid footing with their specifications, so maybe it will fair better. Gonna wait and see where they go with this. I think it's unfair to write it off as a compliance car so quickly... let's discuss this in the spring
=Smidge=