Kia Motors revealed its plans to unveil the all-electric version of its popular Soul compact crossover in the United States by next year.
Kia Motors will be debuting in the U.S. car market with an all-electric vehicle next year. The Korean car maker revealed plans for manufacturing an all-electric version of its popular Soul hatchback in the United States in direct competition with the likes of Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus Electric and Chevrolet Volt.
Kia's electric vehicle had been spinning the rumor wheel for a while now. In 2011, the car maker unveiled the Ray EV concept and since then it was speculated to be working on full production of EVs. However, the company stayed mum on the subject
"Eco-consciousness already comes standard on the all-new Soul with 85-percent of its materials able to be recycled at the end of its lifespan, and the Soul EV will further demonstrate Kia's engineering capabilities as well as our commitment to producing vehicles with reduced environmental footprints," Orth Hedrick, executive director of product planning, KMA, said in a press release. "The Soul has always been a terrific choice for drivers in urban environments, and the all-new version's blend of technology, refinement, style, improved dynamics and value has allowed us to create a car that is as efficient as it is fun to drive."
The announcement does not include any detailed specifications of the upcoming electric vehicle from Kia, but the automaker promised to release Soul EV's powertrain, range, MPGe, packaging and marketing strategy at an upcoming major U.S. auto show. Kia added that it will release the images of the 2014 Soul EV closer to its vehicle launch.
Autoblog has listed some of the leaked images of the potential 2014 Soul EV.
