Forbes Covers Kia Soul EV Makeover: Now Flaunts Double the Power

Peter Lyon of Forbes Magazine stated in his latest article that his first drive of the Kia Soul EV delivers “considerable punch and poise” for its price and that he was still heavily impressed after he sampled some of the latest and greatest. The Jaguar I-Pace, Tesla Model 3, and Porsche Taycan had already filled slots in his busy itinerary for the month, and one of his first sources of excitement was the fact that the new Soul EV now boasts twice the power output of the outgoing electric version, up from 109 hp to 201 hp while torque rises from 210 to 290 lb-ft.

The electric powertrain is taken from the inverter, motor, and batteries from the Niro EV, and placed into a more stylish and economical package. Now seeing its third generation a full decade after the original, It's more visually appealing with softened edges and a silhoutte that is a bit more gradual visually. A better sense of style is also accomplished with slim wraparound LED front lights providing 16 combinations of color and a sense that more close attention has been paid to design as the model is now increasing in importance and current relevance.

What all of us on sales and service staff at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis believe is that the largest highlight of the now improved Soul is its heightened range. The model is now slated to cover up to 280 miles on a single charge, and if you can find a 100kW quick charger, you can charge a battery around 40% in just 40 minutes. The key component to these extra miles is the newly fitted 64kWh liquid-cooled battery pack. These extras alone take the 0 – 60 mph times down from 9.7 to 7.2 seconds, and improve freeway driving stance drastically.

The Forbes testing team claims that the EV really excels on the road, with a firm and comfortable ride and “effortless” direction changing. Very responsive and grippy braking and an aggressive acceleration with Sport mode add a few extra layers of fun to the daily drive. Infotainment arrives through a 10.3-inch touchscreen which is very user-friendly, and the dash  provides a range indicator and other data such as outside temperature. When you finally get some downtime and are able to valiantly escape the cubicle with a few friends, we'd recommend the sound mood lighting system: the extra pulsing lights around the cabin really up the ante for a fun night out. We will keep you posted here on the blog as to what other publications and experts have to say about the Soul, and we fully endorse it as the perfect kilowatt-driven Christmas gift! 

Amazon and Kia's Partnership For At-home Electric Charging Stations Featured on Autoblog.com

It's definitely no secret that Amazon desires in a major way to be the one-and-only destination people go to worldwide to get their online shopping done, and they are now expanding a bit further into the car world with their latest partnership. All of us here at Jim Butler are very proud to announce that Kia is teaming up with Amazon to make Level 2 chargers available for your home! To purchase the chargers up front on offer, you just need to lease or own an electric Kia or have one securely on order.

Included are the Niro EV, Soul EV, Niro PHEV, and Optima PHEV, and is a bold-and-boisterous attempt at making, buying, and installing these kinds of chargers less difficult. Many consumers out there already know and understand the navigation and process of Amazon well, so buying everything you may need to get your new electric car charger up and running from them could provide a smooth process that entices many to get on board.

Amazon really is planning to handle the transaction thoroughly here, by calling out an electrician to inspect your house to see if any changes need to be made to properly support it, then take on the task of fully installing the charger. Bosh, ChargePoint, and JuiceBox are the three brands stepping up to the plate for the summer to provide level 2 car chargers. The 2020 Soul EV and the 2019 Niro EV both get to a full charge in a little more than nine hours on a Level 2 plug, versus a nearly 60-hour wait from a Level 1 charger. Juice at the fastest rate is what benefits electric car owners during the night's rest, and the convenience of portals such as Amazon will no doubt provide a strong interest in the time-saving service.

This other great feature from Autoblog covers the unveiling of the Niro hybrid at the Geneva Motor show, as well as many new options such as 18-inch wheels. New projector headlights adopt what is now known as the “ice cube” design above a brand-new bumper, and paddle shifters for the six-speed double-clutch have been grafted onto the steering wheel. You get to enjoy the 8-inch screen for infotainment options, with an upgraded spec providing a 10.25-inch TFT infotainment window, with the capability to run Uvo Connect. We are excited for this powerful partnership to provide offerings to many who are eager to capture the quickest available charge for the EV and take any unnecessary worry out of the ordering process.