So I just test drove a 2015 Kia Soul EV

[bobsfreekia]

Yeah I was also disappointed during the test drive about the lack of a 'coasting' mode - I was used to hypermiling my diesel by coasting in neutral. But actually now I really like 'B' gear and drive in it all the time. If you want to coast you just leave your foot where it is, if you want to suck all the juice back into the battery, lift off. If you have to actually press the brake pedal, you lose 5 points

I agree also that the throttle mapping takes a bit of getting used to, initially I was thinking 'Instant torque? Where?!'. The software pretends (really well) to be a standard automatic gearbox attached to an ICE, even doing the stupid 'creep forward' nonsense of an old fluid-link auto box from the 1970s, until you slap the accelerator down fast, at which point you DO get instant torque and you really sense the electric drive. Useful for accelerating into a tight gap, etc. The software seems to be looking for speed of movement of the pedal, not necessarily how far it moves.

Thanks for the clarification. So, if you slam the pedal to the floor (in any mode) you get full power or torque. Is this correct? Still have yet to drive one, but how far I have to push the pedal bothers me not at all. I choose EV mode in my Leaf (to keep me from doing stupid stuff), and its fine with me. Take care, Bobsfreekia

 

[bobsfreekia]

when are the 2016's coming out?

The usual. Late in the year :lol:

The original poster is missing the point why we drive electrics. This is not about how great the cornering is, etc. It's about the privilege of moving your body at highway speed without a drop of Russian, Venezuelan, and Saudi oil. AND making 0 contribution to smog, CO2 and so on.

It's costly to own these cars. I'm paying 600 bucks a month for the privilege (leasing 2 cars). What I'm doing and hopefully the rest of you as well, is putting my money where my mouth is with regard to the above, thus not contributing to melting Arctic ice when I drive places. That's what it's about, not the cornering and lagging gas pedal.

I do have a wish list for Kia. But the car being a 100-mile EV trumps it all.

Hi: Why is it costly to own this car? At a lease of $259+ and rebates galore, and 100+MPGE? My lease of my Leaf was the proven to be the cheapest vehicle I have ever driven (all facts considered). Thanks.

 

[iletric]

I'm paying 350 bucks per month, save about 100 on gas, so the net lease is about 250. Also save a few bucks on no oil changes (my cost about 15 bucks + the annoyance going under the car every 3-4 months).

You see, I own 92 Accord free and clear. No monthly. So that's the difference. Of course, I don't want to drive gas whenever I can, and by leasing Spark for 250 a month, forcing my wife and sons do the same whenever possible.

As I say, that's a 600 dollar outlay, minus 200 for no gas buying. Still - 400 bucks a month with 15,000 mile limit on both and range to consider - always. All that as opposed to no cost for old cars. And, of course, in the end I own nothing. Both cars go back. Money out the window for the privilege of driving on electrons.

I am not buying until we have 400-600 range BEVs. Look at the value of 11 Leaf. Is it 6,000 bucks now? Lucky to have gotten rid of it at 11,500. Best deal ever - trade in for the Soul.

 

[user 285]

Thanks for the clarification. So, if you slam the pedal to the floor (in any mode) you get full power or torque. Is this correct? Still have yet to drive one, but how far I have to push the pedal bothers me not at all. I choose EV mode in my Leaf (to keep me from doing stupid stuff), and its fine with me. Take care, Bobsfreekia

I tried flooring the Soul from about 10mph yesterday, while trying to watch the kW display. I was in Eco mode (the default) and it hit 80kW around 30mph (it may have been before that, the meter is only updated every second). Quite difficult not to watch the road though, and not something I want to repeat too often!

In general there seems to be about a third of a second delay between slapping the pedal and feeling the power, but some kind of averaging in the software makes sense - you don't want the car jerking forwards as you drive over a bump and your foot shifts slightly do you?

 

[bobsfreekia]

Thanks for the clarification. So, if you slam the pedal to the floor (in any mode) you get full power or torque. Is this correct? Still have yet to drive one, but how far I have to push the pedal bothers me not at all. I choose EV mode in my Leaf (to keep me from doing stupid stuff), and its fine with me. Take care, Bobsfreekia

I tried flooring the Soul from about 10mph yesterday, while trying to watch the kW display. I was in Eco mode (the default) and it hit 80kW around 30mph (it may have been before that, the meter is only updated every second). Quite difficult not to watch the road though, and not something I want to repeat too often!

In general there seems to be about a third of a second delay between slapping the pedal and feeling the power, but some kind of averaging in the software makes sense - you don't want the car jerking forwards as you drive over a bump and your foot shifts slightly do you?

That's kind of weird. I presume 80kw is max power, so if the power ramps up (fast but gradual), that is completely unlike my Leaf where maximum power is delivered instantly upon full throttle. Gonna have to drive one to check. It's not like this car is going to spin out of control or something if full power is given. Thanks for helping.

 

[bobsfreekia]

I'm paying 350 bucks per month, save about 100 on gas, so the net lease is about 250. Also save a few bucks on no oil changes (my cost about 15 bucks + the annoyance going under the car every 3-4 months).

You see, I own 92 Accord free and clear. No monthly. So that's the difference. Of course, I don't want to drive gas whenever I can, and by leasing Spark for 250 a month, forcing my wife and sons do the same whenever possible.

As I say, that's a 600 dollar outlay, minus 200 for no gas buying. Still - 400 bucks a month with 15,000 mile limit on both and range to consider - always. All that as opposed to no cost for old cars. And, of course, in the end I own nothing. Both cars go back. Money out the window for the privilege of driving on electrons.

I am not buying until we have 400-600 range BEVs. Look at the value of 11 Leaf. Is it 6,000 bucks now? Lucky to have gotten rid of it at 11,500. Best deal ever - trade in for the Soul.

I see. I'm not one to keep an old car forever (can't stand giving the money to mechanics), so after 130,000 miles, their gone. We drive a lot. Anyway, comparing a new ICE to a new EV, the EV wins. Plus my State rips you one for electricity. My rates were adjusted down by 2/3 for my house, which covers the cost of a $200 lease completely for me.

In regard to the value of an old EV, yeah. Why anyone bought any EV is beyond me. It was obvious from the start, they were going to be near worthless with a depleted battery. I could buy my Leaf now for about $9,000, but who wants a 3000 pound paperweight. Thanks, Bob

 

[user 285]

Well, let's say you were going at 5 metres per second (11mph) and the car let you apply the full 80kW.
Power = mass x velocity x acceleration, so a = Power/mv
a = 80000 / (1600 x 5) = 10 metres/sec/sec, just over 1g.

Assuming the tyres would take it, I think that would be quite upsetting / not very safe for the average EV driver, which I guess is why they limit the power at low speeds.
Obviously it gets worse as the speed gets lower (velocity->0 => acceleration->infinity)

At 13 metres per second (roughly 30mph) acceleration at 80kW would be 3.8 metres/sec/sec. Given that all the power goes through two wheels, even on a dry road that's pretty challenging for the tyres, and on a wet road I reckon you would definitely need help from the traction control.

 

[fanbanlo]

Just test drove it (base trim) again, but this time with lower expectation and some driving tips from you guys. I manage to get used to driving the B mode and it felt great seeing the range raises by a few km going downhill.

This time around, I test drove the car with any salesperson. I tried driving it a little more aggressively and to my surprise, you are right about if one slams the gas paddle, the car would blast off like you just whipped the horse for more Hp.

All in all, I think it's a nice car. I can still hear a very slight high pitch noise (from the AC) but it is much better than the Leaf. Driving it and my current car back to back, I love how the EV does not need to hunt for the right gear, yet feels much better than a CVT.

 

[user 285]

Cool. Are you sure the high-pitched noise isn't the 'pedestrian warning noise' that comes from a loudspeaker in the front bumper? It does sound a bit AC-like, but it very quiet from the inside until you open the windows.