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Kia Soul EV priced at $33,700*, leases start at $249/month

Kia must have thought VW was aiming a little high when the German automaker priced its upcoming electric vehicle for the US market. Kia has just announced that the price for its new Soul EV will be $33,700 (before any tax incentives) when it comes to the US later this year. That's well above the base model Nissan Leaf, which starts at $28,980, but a few thousand dollars below the Volkswagen e-Golf, which starts at $35,445. The upper end Plus model starts at $35,700. The Soul EV will come in two trim levels, with the upper end Plus model starting at $35,700. The extra $2,000 will get you leather-trimmed heated and ventilated seats, fog lamps and power folding mirrors. As any EV driver in a cold climate will tell you, heated seats can do a lot for your body comfort when electrons count. Every Soul EV will have an onboard 6.6-kW charger, a nav system, a rear camera and Kia's UVO EV Services connection (with app) – as well as Kia's $800 destination charge. There are a few more details in the press release below. The Soul also has something that its competitors don't: an official range of 93 miles thanks to a 27-kWh lithium ion battery pack. The Leaf sits pretty at 84 miles while the e-Golf has not yet been officially rated. For those more interested in leasing than buying, the cost will be $249 per month with $1,999 down for the base model. Kia will announce more lease details closer to launch this fall. By the way, the Soul EV will be "initially available in certain California markets only with limited availability," so only some of you will have the option to get one from the start. Kia has said that the Soul EV will be available in other states –Oregon, New York, New Jersey and Maryland – as well, so expect announcements on that front at some point. 2015 KIA SOUL EV PRICING ANNOUNCED Starting MSRP of $33,700(1)(not including federal tax rebate of $7,500) with an expected introductory lease price(2) of $249 per month makes all-new Soul EV a compelling offer for eco-conscious buyers The 2015 Soul EV is Kia's first mass-market, all-electric, zero-emissions car and the centerpiece of the brand's Clean Mobility program Fully electrified variant retains Soul's funky design while delivering best-in-class(3) EPA-estimated driving range of 93 miles(4) IRVINE, Calif., September 11, 2014 – Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced pricing for the all-electric version of its hugely popular urban passenger vehicle, the Kia Soul.

Next-gen Kia Soul EV spied

Our spy shooters recently caught the next-generation Kia Soul wearing camouflage and showing bits and pieces of its new design. Now, we've got spy shots of the next Kia Soul EV, and it's testing at the Nurburgring. Our shooter points out the spot on the grille for the charging port, as well as the "E" on the license plate, that point to this being the electric version of the Soul. And, of course, we don't see any tailpipes hanging off the back. Similar to the last shots we saw of the regular Soul, the EV gets new lighting front and rear. We see what looks like signature LED lighting strips below the actual headlights — and if the previous spy shots are any clue, this strip could extend across the entire nose. One other feature we notice is the sensor placed low in the front fascia, which could mean the new Soul EV will be equipped with adaptive cruise control, along with other active safety features. In back, the lighting starts high and curves inward like a big boomerang. It looks like Kia is trying very hard to keep the rear of the car under heavy garb, so we might expect there to be other major design changes back there. We can't see from photos any other clues about the electric powertrain, but there's a good chance the Soul EV will use a version of the Hyundai Kona Electric's running gear. For the U.S. the EPA just announced driving range of 258 miles in that vehicle, though other markets also get an entry-level version with a smaller battery. We're happy to see progress being made on the Soul EV, and are looking forward to some of that camo coming off. Loading up the suspension on the Nurburgring looks like a riot, and probably indicates testing of thermal management and the resulting performance (and losses thereof). Related Video:

Kia's regionally inspired concepts converge on Las Vegas [w/poll]

Kia has, over the past couple of weeks, been steadily streaming an array of concept cars it's prepared for SEMA this year. But with the doors now open at the Las Vegas Convention Center, it's now released the full monte – so to speak – including one we hadn't seen before at all. The lineup takes a geographic approach, each representing a different region in this great country of ours, and each is based on a different model in the company's product line. Arguably the most outlandish is the A1A Optima. The sedan has been converted into a four-door convertible, taking its name and inspiration from the coastal highway in Florida. The project was carried out by Lux Motorwerks, which reinforced the Optima's bodywork for the chop job, fitted suicide rear doors, and painted it a bright shade of turquoise. It rides on 20-inch HRE alloys, with an interior trimmed out in cream leather and titanium accents. A coilover suspension drops it down to the tarmac, and a new exhaust system helps with the turbo four's sound. Next up is the PacWest Adventure Sorento, inspired by the Pacific Northwest with a woodsy approach. The Sorento crossover has been customized by LGE-CTS Motorsports with a candy-effect green paint job and matte black trim, tubular bumpers, a raised suspension, off-road tires, a snorkel for fording streams, and a pop-up tent on the roof. They're joined by the Photo Safari Sedona, which is a new addition we hadn't seen until now. The minivan has been thoroughly transformed into a rolling observation point for shutterbugs in the wild. The rear section has been converted into a pickup bed, the seats have been swapped out for deploying buckets to get closer to the action, and the whole thing rides on an air suspension with off-road tires on 17-inch wheels. It's even got an iMac workstation on board for processing photos. In short, it's everything you could want to embark on a photographic adventure in the Northeast – or anywhere else for that matter. Finally there's the Mud Bogger, a Forte Koup inspired by the South. It's jacked up four inches on an off-road suspension, with an open rollback vinyl roof to let in the elements. The bodywork has been painted a deep shade of blue, offset by the white powder-coated roll cage, brush guards, and wheels. And the interior has been stripped out and fitted with Sparco racing seats. Kia has also brought the Ballast Point Sedona back to the show this year.