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Supply issues force Kia to delay new Soul EV until 2021 model year

The electric version of the new, third-generation Kia Soul won't join its gasoline-powered siblings in showrooms for the 2020 model year. Kia announced it was forced to delay the model. American motorists seeking an electric Soul will need to wait until the 2021 model year, Green Car Reports learned. Kia blamed the delay on a shortage of electric motors, and on battery-pack-related supply issues, and it warned the new timeline might change. Autoblog reached out to the company to find out whether the delay is linked to its decision to sell only the electric variant of the hatchback on the European market. We can confirm the model already arrived in showrooms in many European nations, and several dealers we spoke to in France told us they had a handful in their inventory. The Soul EV will be worth the wait when it finally disembarks in the United States. It can drive for up to 243 miles on a single charge, which is about twice the number its predecessor was capable of achieving. It shares its 64-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack with the Hyundai Kona Electric, and it offers a Soul Turbo-like 201-horsepower output. We called it a top choice among entry-level electrics after driving it for the first time in its home country of South Korea. The other reason why the Soul EV might be worth the wait is that Green Car Reports added Kia might choose to sell it in more states. The last-generation model axed after the 2019 model year was only available in 13 states, including Hawaii, New York, Georgia, and, of course, California.

Kia recalls 2006-10 Sedona and 2007-09 Sorento for risk of electrical short

Kia Motors has issued a precautionary recall on 228,829 units of 2006-10 Sedona minivans and 2007-09 Sorentos due to a rare possibility of a short circuit that could cause a fire in the engine compartment. Kia expects about 1% of the cited vehicles could have moisture in the anti-lock braking system (ABS) module. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) campaign No. 20V088000 says that some 2006-2010 Sedonas and 2007-2009 Sorentos have a Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) within the ABS module that could be susceptible to moisture damage. Should moisture enter the HECU, it could cause an electrical short circuit, which could then spark a fire. Because the HECU is energized when the car is turned off, this issue could arise even while the vehicle is parked.  Kia has yet to determine exactly how and why moisture is getting into the HECU, and it's not the first time this type of problem has caused a recall. Hyundai Motors recalled 429,686 Hyundai Elantra and Elantra Touring models for the same issue.  Because there isn't a certain root defect to fix, Kia has devised a plan to reduce the risk of fire. Kia will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box, free of charge. This will prevent power from going to the HECU while the ignition is off. Kia will alert owners of affected vehicles starting April 10, 2020.  Kia and Hyundai have also been involved in completely separate engine-fire-related recalls in the recent past. Throughout the previous few years, Kia and Hyundai have recalled millions of cars, crossovers, and SUVs with faulty oil pans and high exhaust temperatures that damage catalytic converters. As a result, the NHTSA opened an investigative probe into Kia's and Hyundai's handling of the recalls and resolutions.   Related Video:

Hyundai will launch 26 green models through 2020

Hyundai Motor Group, which comprises both Hyundai and Kia, believes that launching a blitz of 26 green models through 2020 could place the Korean automaker among the leaders in the segment. Only Toyota would be larger in the electrified vehicle market, if Hyundai Motor's plan works, Automotive News reports. The 26 models run the gamut of the green car field, and they include at least 12 hybrids, six PHEVs, two EVs, and two hydrogen fuel cells, according to Automotive News. If customers latch onto them, Hyundai and Kia could move as many as 300,000 electrified vehicles a year by 2020 versus about 43,000 in 2015. Kia is responsible for at least 11 of these vehicles like the upcoming Niro crossover. Meanwhile, Hyundai wants the upcoming Ioniq (above) to challenge the Toyota Prius, and the Korean company has hybrid, PHEV, and EV versions on the way. To save money on the development of so many electrified vehicles, Hyundai Motor uses shared components. "For example, all our electric motors have the same diameter," Lee Ki-Sang, Hyundai's green powertrain boss, told Automotive News. "The power output is different, but we can just adjust the width of the core winding. Or for the motor controller, we standardized to use the same printed circuit boards." Trying to go from a relatively small player to a market leader is an audacious move, but it's especially risky right now. Gas prices are the cheapest in 12 years in the US, and green car sales are down in the US and in Europe. Toyota even predicts the inexpensive fuel could cut into Prius sales, and it's far more established than Hyundai's models. The South Korean company could have an even tougher time because these efficient vehicles still lose money for now. "Our target is before 2020, we would like to make profits on these eco-friendly vehicles," Lee told Automotive News. Related Video: