An electric version of the Kia Soul electric vehicle will be arriving in the United States in the year 2014 after months of speculation and sightings of test cars in the wild. Kia Soul confirmed that the United States buyers would be able to purchase an all-electric Soul Electric Vehicle next year, in a brief press statement. The South Korean carmaker has not yet released any specifications or pricing. This makes it hard to visualize where the electric version of Kia Soul will place in the marketplace. However, judging from the prototypes of Kia Soul Electric Vehicles seen out and about, it is clear that the car will have a standard quick charge. Just like the Mitsubishi and Nissan Leaf, the charge will have the capacity to recharge the Kia Soul electric vehicle from an empty state to an almost fully charged state within half an hour.

Previous speculations show that the specifications of Kia Soul electric will be similar to those of other small-sized electric vehicles. The vehicle will have a range of about one hundred miles per charge and a maximum speed of about 87 miles per hour and 0.62 miles in about 12 seconds. Kia Soul electric vehicles will have a redesigned body similar to that of their gasoline counterparts. Kia notes that this translates to a larger and quieter interior, a wider and longer wheelbase, and a slightly reduced height. The difference between Kia Soul electric vehicles and their gasoline counterparts is that the electric vehicles will have new styling cues. The automaker gave a hint that the cues will help in aerodynamics. Therefore, potential candidates include side-skirts, a modified grille and bumper, and maybe a uniquely-designed rear spoiler. The electric vehicle will probably be unique and different from existing electric vehicles like the Fiat 500e, Ford Focus Electric, and Nissan Leaf. Also, Kia added that the Soul electric vehicle will be recyclable by up to 85%.

More details about the Kia Soul electric vehicle will be unveiled in the major United States auto show in November, held in Los Angeles. According to Kia, only “select markets” will have the Soul electric vehicles. This implies that it is a limited-production vehicle and will be available only in California. Hyundai, Kia’s parent company, is expected to meet the regulations of California by manufacturing hydrogen-fuel cell cars instead of plug-in cars. It is evident that the Kia Soul electric car is a car to look out for.