Ahead of the fall launch of the Kia Soul EV in 14 European countries, Kia recently installed two 100 kW DC fast chargers at its European headquarters in Frankfurt.

With a 100 kW charger, the 27 kWh Soul electric vehicle’s battery pack can be charger from empty to 80% in as little as 25 minutes.

“Following the installation of the new 100 kW DC chargers at the brand’s European headquarters, Kia plans to roll out a network of 233 charging stations across its Soul EV retailers and national sales organisations’ headquarters in Europe. This is in addition to the existing network of 140 EV charging stations already installed at various Kia distributors and dealers, giving consumers access to a total of 373 Kia charging stations. This is part of a wider plan from Kia to install a robust charging network around the world, as the Soul EV is to be sold globally.”

Chief Operating Officer of Kia Motors Europe, Michael Cole, said these are the first chargers in the region to offer so much power, and will “help make the Soul EV a viable option for consumers when it goes on sale.” He went on to say that Kia sees battery electric vehicles as a key solution for future mobility and Kia will continue to invest in the technology.

WIth class leading battery pack energy density of 200 Wh/kd, the Kia Soul EV has a 27 kWh battery pack that is good for a range of up to 212 km (still waiting for official test ratings from the EPA in the USA, but Kia has said all along it is targeting the 80-100 mile range).