Kia: e-Soul in the first Swiss test 🎥
EXCLUSIVE As the world's fourth-largest automaker, Hyundai is also leading the way in electromobility with its Kia brand. Swiss hypermiler Felix Egolf surfed over 14 passes for AutoSprintCH. The Kia e-Soul comes from Korea. The video shows the model in Seoul and driving overland. Marketed exclusively as an electric vehicle in Europe, the [...]
The Kia e-Soul comes from Korea. The video shows the model in Seoul and while driving overland.
The new e-Soul, which is marketed exclusively as an electric vehicle in Europe, now has 204 hp under the hood instead of 110. The already respectable torque has also increased to a lush 395 Newton meters.
The body looks have been subtly revised while retaining the characteristic Soul look. Torsional stiffness and sound insulation have been improved.
Charging the battery in 42 minutes
The wheelbase is now three centimeters longer. The car rolls on 17-inch wheels and low rolling resistance 215/55 tires as standard.
The heart and power storage unit is the new, liquid-cooled 64 kWh Li-Ion polymer battery. It has an energy density around 30 percent higher than the predecessor model, lies flat in the vehicle floor and weighs 458 kilograms. This electricity storage system can be brought up to 80 percent in 42 minutes using the standard CCS plug on a 100 kW charger.
Remarkable curve tempo
The low center of gravity, the new multi-link rear suspension (previously twist-beam) and a slightly wider track enable remarkable cornering speeds, provide balanced handling, a high level of driving safety and convey driving pleasure: 0 to 100 km/h in under eight seconds, top speed is 167 km/h.
According to the new world test standard (WLTP), the e-Soul is expected to travel up to 452 kilometers. That dispels any fears about range. But is this really the end of the line?
Driving with foresight
We wanted to know exactly and therefore subjected the Korean Stromer to the ultimate, 557-kilometer (!) long 14-pass test with 11,500 cumulative meters of altitude. After twelve hours of driving, the e-Soul returned to its starting point in Cham. There was no need to recharge on the way, because with a forward-looking driving style only 90 battery percent (equivalent to 10.4 kWh per 100 kilometers) were consumed.
Hardly any work for the brakes
On the pass descents, an average of one kilowatt hour per 360 meters of altitude flowed back into the battery recuperatively. There is a choice of five levels for this electric deceleration. With the brake-and-hold function, the e-Soul even stops electrically. Then the well-dimensioned disc brakes remain practically unemployed.
Everyday range 400 kilometers
The winding course was driven in Eco and Eco plus mode. Other driving modes are Sport and Comfort. Kia states a consumption of 15.7 kWh per 100 kilometers. This seems realistic and enables an everyday range of around 400 kilometers. Ecodrivers will enjoy the considerable upward potential.
Interaction engine and battery
In the redesigned cockpit, the interaction between the electric motor and battery can also be monitored via the 26-centimeter navigation touchscreen. The latter is part of the innovative Uvo Connect telematics system with its own sim card, which will be available in the e-Soul for the first time in a Kia model in Europe. The Uvo app is compatible with Android and Apple phones.
Two versions are available
The e-Soul driver can trust a variety of assistance systems. Among other things, a cross-traffic collision warning system is on board. And the Level 2 lane departure warning system with adaptive cruise control is almost an autopilot.
The fully equipped top model, which at 204 hp has the same power as a meager Porsche 911 SC in the early 1980s, weighs around 1700 kilograms, will be available in 2020 and costs around 50,000 francs according to initial figures. On request, the e-Soul is also available in a cheaper version with a 39.2 kWh battery (range up to 277 kilometers) and 136 hp engine.
