When the all-new (and very cute) Kia Soul EV debuted in November 2018, it was originally scheduled to go on sale in the US. Sometime in 2019. But in May 2019, it was postponed to 2020 for no specific reason. Then, a few months later, the Soul EV recoiled, this time until 2021 at the earliest, with Kia removing weak batteries and electric motors, as well as strong demand in Europe. Now, a source inside Kia Motors America tells Roadshow that the new Soul EV has been completely cancelled for the US market.
Our July 29 source stated that the cancellation was due to a mix of factors, adding the source disorders already discussed and strong demand in other markets. Unlike the popular Soul, the EV uses a standalone rear suspension, which adds complexity and would make the car even more loved in the United States. Not bringing the Soul EV here will allow Kia to concentrate its production and source efforts on the Niro EV, which uses the same battery and electric motor and is already established in the United States.
When he was contacted for comment, a spokesman for Kia said he had not heard that the Soul EV had been cancelled, but showed that the company “had no task in the filing procedure until 2021 at the latest.” This is not an absolute denial, however, Kia has completely disposed of the Soul EV from its US customer’s online page and has also removed almost any mention from the U.S. corporate media site.
In addition, while the 2020 Model Year Soul EV gained an official battery life of 243 miles, it has since been removed from the EPA website. Fuel consumption estimates for Soul 2021 are available lately, but the EV is also not on this list.
Although it’s a shame, we might not get the new Soul EV; we were very encouraged when we were able to drive it in early 2019; The Niro EV is already quite impressive and the total diversity of Niro wants to be redesigned in a few years. Kia is running in a number of new electric cars, adding an added crossover through the Futuron and Imagine concepts, and the long-term Stinger can also be electric.
This was originally published in Roadshow.
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