Battery Concerns on a Used Soul EV

[De_Santa]

Hey everyone, We’re thinking about getting a used Kia Soul EV for my daily commute in Seattle. I’d only be driving about 20-25 miles a day, so the range seems fine, but I have a few questions before we commit:

• Since we’re looking at 2016 or 2017 models, there wouldn’t be any warranty left. Should we be worried about battery degradation with these cars? Is it a big issue?
• How often do the battery packs fail, and is there a way to test the battery health before buying?
• For those who own one, how much more should I expect to pay for insurance? Is it a noticeable jump?
• Lastly, is there anything else we should keep in mind before going ahead? Maintenance concerns? Quirks?

Thanks so much for any advice you can share!

 

[IanL]

Test the battery health by reading the State-of-Health (SOH). KIA replace under warranty when it is down to 70%. KIA dealers can read it with the KDU (Kia Diagnostic Unit) and you can read it with an Android phone or pad using SoulEV Spy and a suitable OBD dongle (see the Spy website).

 

[KFSeattle]

Hey everyone, We’re thinking about getting a used Kia Soul EV for my daily commute in Seattle. I’d only be driving about 20-25 miles a day, so the range seems fine, but I have a few questions before we commit:

• Since we’re looking at 2016 or 2017 models, there wouldn’t be any warranty left. Should we be worried about battery degradation with these cars? Is it a big issue?
• How often do the battery packs fail, and is there a way to test the battery health before buying?
• For those who own one, how much more should I expect to pay for insurance? Is it a noticeable jump?
• Lastly, is there anything else we should keep in mind before going ahead? Maintenance concerns? Quirks?

Thanks so much for any advice you can share!

Also in Seattle and I love, love, love my 2017 Soul EV. Your battery should still be under warranty for 10 years/100,000 miles. You'll notice a drop in range during the cooler months but it will bounce back up in summer. Range isn't great on long distance highway driving, and it's hard to find working CHAdeMO chargers. You'll be fine with your regular commute, and should be pleased with how much range the regenerative braking returns on the Seattle hills. Don't know about insurance differences, but be aware that car tabs for EVs are higher because they add $75 for EV infrastructure and $150 to fund road maintenance and improvements - which is only fair since we don't pay gas taxes that help fund roads.

 

[nileriver]

USA Kia Soul EVs do have 10 yr/100K warranty on EV battery. I think I’ve read that it is less in Europe and Canada. Before I bought one, I would make sure that it has maybe a couple years of warranty left, unless it has a newer battery already. The older ones seem to be failing, but usually and thankfully, within the warranty term. My 2016 is in the shop now for a new battery. They thought I was paying, and quoted me $33K. This basically totals the car. So, if the battery fails completely, the car is basically worthless, unless Kia is paying. Mine still showed ~ 65 miles range on the GOM at full charge, but it had become unsafe with the sudden shut-downs. Idk what my battery’s SOH shows now. A year ago, with about the same range, the Kia shop said 75%.

TLDR: Proceed with caution.