The 2020 Kia Soul electric vehicle is the second generation of electric vehicle from Kia. In order to differentiate the first and second generations, Kia is renaming the Soul EV to be the e-Soul for the 2020 model year.
In April 2019, Kia released a series of images highlighting the improvements and differences between the 2 generations of the electric vehicle.
Dimensions
The 2020 Kia e-Soul is slightly higher than the Soul EV. It is also longer than the Soul EV, and has an increased wheelbase to help smooth out the ride.
Luggage capacity also seems to have increased – Kia lists the Soul EV cargo capacity at 250 liters, while the e-Soul is listed at 315 liters.
Battery
The first generation Soul EV has a battery capacity of 30 kWh, while the e-Soul comes with 2 options: 39.2 kWh, and 64 kWh. In some markets, like the USA, only the larger pack is being offered.
The e-Soul battery runs at 356 volts, slightly less than the older 375 volts. Both are lithium-ion polymer batteries, but Kia has manged to improve their technology so that the 64 kWh battery pack (which is more than double the capacity of the 30 kWh 1st gen pack) weighs only 1008 lbs (which is less than double the 650 lbs of the 1st gen pack).
Battery Charging
Charging speed has also increased – the Soul EV had a 6.6 kW onboard charger, while the e-Soul has a 7.2 kW onboard charger. In addition, the newer e-Soul can handle a quick-charge speed of up to 100 kW – twice the capacity of the Soul EV’s 50 kW maximum charging speed.
Kia has also added liquid cooling to the battery pack.
Suspension
The 2020 Kia e-Soul has changed from having a rear coupled torsion beam suspension to using a multi-link setup. The rear shocks have also been upgraded from a mono-type to a twin tube – possibly because of increased weight from the larger battery pack. [source needed]
The steering has also changed, which has decreased the number of turns of the wheel to go from lock-to-lock down to 2.5, but has also greatly increased the turning circle from 17 feet to 34.8 feet. src
Wheels and Tires
On the Kia Soul EV, the wheels were 6.5 inches wide and needed 16 inch rubber. On the e-Soul, the wheels are 7 inches wide by 17 inches, and come from the factory wrapped in P215/55R17 rubber.
Weight
With 400 lbs more in the battery pack, the 2nd generation 2020 e-Soul curb weight is 3,715 lbs, The first generation Kia Soul EV was lighter with a curb weight of 3,289 lbs. src
Weight Discrepancy:
https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models/soul-ev/2020/specifications
2020 Soul EV (64kWh) : 3,715lbs curb weight
https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models/soul-ev/2020/specifications
2019 Soul EV (30kWh) : 3,289lbs curb weight (no sunroof)
4,321lbs is listed as Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models/soul-ev/2015/specifications
2015 Soul EV (27kWh): 3,289lbs
(Same as 2019 but with smaller battery pack or just at 360volts)
*Oddly the 2015 specs say 34.8ft turning circle for shared body style as 2019 Soul EV that lists
17.4ft
I believe the official specifications may have an error.
Thanks for the details – can you explain where you think the discrepancy is? The 2020, 60 kWh battery pack weighs 1008 lbs, while the 1st gen pack weighs 650 lbs. The 2020 weighs about 500 pounds more than the 2019
“Even with 400 lbs more in the battery pack, the 2nd generation 2020 e-Soul curb weight is 3,715 lbs – about 600 pound less than the 4,321 lbs of the Kia Soul EV.”
If the 2019 Soul EV has a curb weight of 3,289lbs that would mean it weighs less than. 2020 e-Soil with curb weight of 3,715lbs.
That 4,321lbs figure was for total Gross Vehicle Weight (Fully loaded) not curb weight without passengers/cargo.
Fixed! Thanks so much