2020 Kia e-Soul Availability
In the United States, only the larger, 64 kWh battery size long-range e-Soul will be available.
In Canada, Kia has provided some dealerships with information on pricing, but nothing about availability – there is some speculation that based on recent tax credit changes for electric vehicles, the e-Soul may not be sold in Ontario.
Slovakia does not have any availability of the new 2020 Soul EV as of April 2019.
First Generation (2014-2019 model years)
After starting testing of an all electric version of the popular Soul vehicle in early 2013, Kia announced they would be producing the Kia Soul EV and it would go on sale in 2014.
In March 2014, Kia said it is targeting sales of 5000 Soul Electric Vehicles by the end of 2014, which is quite ambitious considering the vehicle enters production in April 2014 and will only be available in the US late in the year.
South Korea
Sales of the Kia Soul EV in South Korea started in March of 2014.
US Availability of the Soul EV
UPDATE: The Kia Soul EV went on sale in California in late 2014. In March 2015, Kia North America announced that after the success of the Soul EV in California, they would be expanding availability to 5 additional states. Georgia will receive the Soul EV in the second quarter of 2015, with Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, and Texas getting the vehicle later in the year – perhaps as early as June.
Initially, Kia said that the Soul EV will be available in the US some time during the fourth quarter of 2014, likely has a 2015 model year. No specific dates have been given, and no markets have been given. There is speculation that it will be available in California (obviously), but as to whether or not it will be available nationwide is speculation.
At the Detroit Auto Show on February 6th, 2014, Kia announced the Soul EV would initially be sold in California and Oregon as well as New York, New Jersey and Maryland, the regions “with the largest EV markets and infrastructure.” Kia didn’t mention whether or not the Soul EV would eventually be offered nationwide, but did say they will “look to offer the vehicle in other markets in the near future.”
In a February 24th press release, Kia said they will look to offer the vehicle in additional markets as “infrastructure and demand grow.”
As of September 12, the Kia website says the Soul EV will be “Available in California in the fall, with East Coast availability expected in 2015”
Canadian Availability of the Kia Soul EV
Opposite to how most electric vehicles have been rolled out/released/unveiled, Canada will actually receive the Kia Soul EV before the USA. Deliveries are expected to begin from select dealerships next fall.
There are rumors that only 100 of these electric vehicles will be available in the country, but Kia has said the ‘2015 Kia Soul EV will immediately knock its main competitors out of the endurance race’. It’s unclear whether Kia is referring to sales numbers or range numbers.
European Soul Electric Availability
In September 2014, Kia announced the Soul EV will go on sale in 16 European countries in the fourth quarter of 2014.
In a February 24th press release, Kia says the Soul EV is “expected to go on sale in European markets in the Autumn.”
On June 12, 2014, production began for export to select European markets. Kia said sales are scheduled for those markets during the second half of 2014.
Norway
The Kia Soul EV went on sale in Norway in August 2014, and Kia was able to deliver 9 units by the end of the month
UK Availability
UPDATE: The Kia Soul EV is now for sale. There is only a single trim available, but it is loaded, and is £24,995 after the government’s £5,000 Plug-in Car Grant.
Kia has confimed it will be introducing the Soul EV into Britain. Sales expected to start in Fall 2014.
New Zealand
Kia Motors New Zealand wants the Soul EV – and since the right hand drive version is available (because Kia will be taking the electric vehicle to Britain), Kia New Zealand has started talks with their parent company in Korea in hopes of getting the EV into the country.
Soul EV in South Africa
Kia South Africa has imported some test units to gauge interest and trial the Soul EV in local conditions. Kia hopes to formally launch the electric vehicle sometime in 2015.
I am told, Canada will see the Soul EV by/on Labour Day Weekend, 2014. Dealers will have the choice between L2 and L3 EV Charging installations. They said…wait for it! A Tesla service person who drove it told me it was a well built EV!
Thanks Robert! Who is it that told you this? I’d like to this comment to the availability page, and want to list the source so people have an idea of how serious to take it…
Hi Admin,
I visited a Winnipeg dealer last week and was told the EV Soul will be in the country near the end of August. Also, dealers outside of B.C., Quebec, and Ontario (the target markets) will be able to order the car and have it brought in. This could be “salesman speak”, but it sounds promising.
Admin. Not that it matters much at this point – so long since I mentioned it, and customers already buying them, but it was by a Kia Canada Person I spoke to, regarding trying to get the Soul out to EV Fest 2014! I don’t have the name in front of me at this time.
More important – I (recently – @ Toronto Auto Show) discovered the US (California) version will have the CHAdeMO in the Base Model, but not so in Canada!
Compare – http://www.kia.ca/soulev info versus
http://www.kia.com/us/en/vehicle/soul-ev/2015/experience?story=hello
This basically – I was told – is a Canadian (KIA Canada) Decision!
So – you want CHAdeMO – Get the Soul EV ‘+’ Edition in Canada!
(And I am told by my Kia Dealer – Wait – a bit longer!)
I paid deposit for a Soul EV in October of 2014 here in Ontario and 6 months later I have no delivery date yet.
As far as I am concerned launch of Soul EV is a failure in Ontario.
With Canadian dollar being 0.80 US dollar, Kia may not even want to send their limited inventory to Canada.
Did you get a delivery date for your Soul yet
We have been waiting since November
The Soul EV went on sale in Georgia a month or so ago. I live in Buffalo, NY and a KIA dealer in Atlanta was willing to allow me to reserve a Soul EV with a $1000 cash deposit.
No word at that time when it will become available in New York.
I ordered a 2015 Kia Soul EV LX in Dec 2014… still waiting for it to arrive in July 2015! I’m in Ottawa (ON, Canada).
In Norway (Europe) I just talked to a dealer – and there was no way he could give me a car before June 2016 (11 months) (There are some “grey Soul EV Exclusive” on the “Grey import” market – but that is the most boring color for a bold car) – so – No Soul EV for me…
Just ordered a “Grey imports” Black/Red 2016 Kia Soul EV Exclusive here in Norway.
This is a car assigned to the German market. – It is supposed to be shipped already this evening by boat from Bergen to Bodø by the costal express. – With any luck – I’ll get the car already this weekend. 🙂
Is the Soul EV available with right hand drive in the U.S. ?
Not sure, it definitely comes in left hand drive. You’d likely have to import a right hand drive and then deal with all the hassle of that process.
Does anyone know when the EV will be sold in Maryland, US?