2014 Kia Soul Base on 2040-cars

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Kia Soul EV starts production in Korea

As sister company Hyundai delivers its first Tucson fuel cell vehicles in California, Kia has kicked off volume production of the Soul EV in Korea. We've driven the prototype and are excited about the arrival of this electric vehicle. Kia is already calling the production start a landmark event, but let's remember that other automakers have been building production EVs for years now. The EVs won't be exported outside of Korea until later in 2014, but the automaker is hoping to make 5,000 a year at its Gwangju facility. The first batch is headed to "select European countries" with more coming to Europe at a later date. The vehicle might be coming to the US in the third quarter. The Soul EV is Kia's second production EV, following the Ray EV. Kia only made 2,500 of them for governmental agency use in Korea. We've got a little video on the Soul EV here. As a reminder, the Soul has a 27-kWh lithium-ion polymer battery which is good for a now-official range (on the European test cycle) of 212 kilometers. That's 132 miles, but expect a good chunk to get knocked off when it gets rated on the US text cycle. For example, the Nissan Leaf is rated at 199 kilometers (123 miles) in Europe but only 84 miles from the EPA. Read Kia's press release below. Start of production for all-electric Kia Soul EV Volume production of Soul EV for export is a landmark in Kia's history Ideal for commuters, Soul EV goes on sale outside Korea later in 2014 Class-leading drive range of 212 km certified for Europe 81.4 kW motor produces 285 Nm of torque for 'fun-to-drive' motoring The first vehicles off the production line are destined for select European countries and are scheduled to go on sale across the continent during the second half of the year. The Soul EV is manufactured at Kia's Gwangju facility in Korea, where annual output of the electric car is planned to reach 5,000 units. "Now that production of export models has begun, the new Soul EV is truly at the forefront of Kia's 'Clean Mobility' program, providing environmentally-friendly transport to our customers around the world," comments Thomas Oh, Executive Vice President and COO, Kia Motors Corporation.

Kia previews upcoming Niro hybrid crossover

Kia is gearing up to launch a new hybrid crossover. Called the Niro, it's touted as the first of its kind in South Korea. And here we have our first glimpse of what it will look like. Previewed in this pair of teaser renderings, the Niro will be a dedicated hybrid crossover. The automaker says that the powertrain will be based on a 1.6-liter version of Hyundai's Kappa engine producing 105 horsepower and 108 pound-feet of torque. That seems a little low to us for an engine that size, considering that the same size engine in the Rio produces 138 hp and 123 lb-ft, but we'll see how the final specs work out. It's slated to be paired to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, an electric motor good for another 47 hp, and a 1.56-kWh battery pack. The hybrid powertrain will be packed into a compact crossover with what looks to be a fairly sleek design. Up front, you'll see the brand's signature tiger-nose grille, angular headlights, sculpted flanks, a relatively high belt line, and an aggressive rear end. Of course, the wheels on the final version won't fill the wheel wells quite as much, and you can expect them to be wearing narrower tires with low rolling resistance, as befits a dedicated hybrid. The Niro name was previously applied to a more rounded crossover concept unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. The production model with its hybrid powertrain will form part of Hyundai-Kia's endeavor to reduce its average fleet fuel consumption by 25 percent by 2020. It's slated to launch in some markets in the first half of next year. Related Video:

Kia Niro Concept is the miniature Soul of the future

The Kia Niro Concept has officially made its Frankfurt Motor Show debut, and aside from the product specialist who would not get out of our photographer's way, this was our first in-person look at the Niro Concept, which first broke cover near the end of last month. The compact, rough-and-tumble crossover would slot in below the Soul were it to enter production, with Kia calling it a B-segment competitor.
The Niro sports neon accents, although both the trim and the actual color of the car itself are far lighter than they appeared in the original press photography. The cabin, meanwhile, looks like it was completely crafted from a single piece of rubber. We suppose that'd make it easy to clean out, sort of like a Jeep Wrangler.
Kia claims the Niro was designed "in Europe with European tastes" in mind, and that its production options will be based on the response of the general public. Take a look above for a full gallery of live photos, and then down below for the press release and images from Kia.