Kia's European Vice President of Marketing has confirmed the company will launch a new electric vehicle of the next generation Soul in the middle of 2014.
Speaking at the launch of the facelifted Sorento in Barcelona, Benny Oeyen said “Kia’s all new Soul will come to Europe as an electric car". He also confirmed the second generation Soul, which will be a completely new car (not a facelift), is expected to debut early next year.
The Soul EV's drivetrain will likely be derived from the one that is found in the Ray EV, a small minivan that is currently being tested in South Korea as part of a pilot program. It's a roughly 50-kilowatt electric motor which will be linked to a lithium-ion battery mounted under the car's floor.
The 2014 Soul is expected to debut at the Chicago Auto Show in February or may be delayed slightly owing to better television coverage of the New York Motor Show in April.
