Kia Motors has displayed the new Kia e-Soul at the Auto Expo. The e-Soul is an electric crossover vehicle that has been on display in India at the company’s BEAT360 hub in Gurgaon. Considering the EVs being launched in India such as the Nexon EV, Hyundai Kona Electric, MG ZS EV, the premium SUV/crossover category has immense growth potential for electrified offerings. The e-Soul would fit well in Kia’s portfolio for India, but the company hasn’t confirmed the car.
Kia describes the e-soul as a fresh, funky and distinctive design. It is designed to stand out and display a unique personality. In its global spec, the car delivers a range of 452 km on a single charge. Interestingly, that is exactly the same range quoted on the Hyundai Kona Electric in India. With the launch of Nexon EV and its killer pricing, the EV market for compact SUV/crossovers would need to be watched closely to identify demand patterns & consumer behaviour. Listed at 37,295 GBP, the e-soul would need to be highly localized in India to reduce costs.
In its global spec, the car has 2 variants – a 64kWh battery with a 150 kW motor & 39.2 kWh battery with 99 kW output. Both options come with fast charging. Regenerative braking feature is provided to improve efficiency. The car also has 4 driving modes – Eco, Eco+, Sport & Normal offering full driving experience. Other features include, heated/ventilated seats, sound mood lighting, wireless phone charging, Head up display. Interior styling options with one tone/two tone leather & fabric options. In keeping with the Seltos, e-Soul would also be a fully connected car offering remote services & notifications. The car also supports Android Auto & Apple CarPlay and features a 10 speaker 640 watt premium harmon Kardon sound system.
The Kia e-Soul would be an interesting car for the Indian market. A lot depends on the pricing strategy and the time of launch. Kia would be looking at the demand numbers of the MG ZS EV and the Hyundai Kona EV before firming up an appropriate strategy.
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